Consultants want to recognize customer needs and offer not just the right products, but the best ones. It is a vision in which they fail because they do not have all the products to choose from. In platform banking, banks use products and services from other providers. This can present new opportunities. We are taking a closer look. We offer both in real estate financing: the optio marketplace and the classic own software.
Background
Banks must offer a complete product portfolio to achieve success and relevance in the financial services industry. It is about bundling the different customer needs to enable individualization of products. At the same time, banks must ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of their service processes and continually adapt to technological trends. This requires a combination of innovation and flexibility. We ask ourselves: is it customer focus or business model?
Platform banking (or valve solutions in financial consulting) refers to strategies that regulate financial flows, minimize risk and increase the efficiency of investments or asset management processes. They act in a similar way to valves in technical systems. They control capital flow and flexibly address financial needs. Bank advisors can use these valve solutions to ensure that customers are offered not just suitable products, but the best ones.
Basics of platform banking
⚜ Platform banking typically has three parties: suppliers, customers and platform operators. The suppliers provide banking products that they offer via the platform. Customers use the platform to access these products. This can also be done through advisors. The platform operator manages the platform. It provides the infrastructure and ensures that transactions between suppliers and customers run smoothly. This allows all parties to benefit from the platform and enables efficient interaction and value creation.
✻ The technical foundations of platform banking comprise a number of key components. The platform banking must be efficient, secure and user-friendly. Software interfaces (APIs) are critical as they enable integration and data exchange between different systems and services. Cloud computing gives the necessary scalability and flexibility to process and store large amounts of data. Security protocols such as encryption and authentication are essential. They protect the data and guarantee the integrity of transactions.
🙏 Partnerships are also crucial to achieve success. An ecosystem includes different players such as banks, fintechs, technology providers and regulators. They cooperate to offer innovative financial services. Partnerships enable leveraging the strengths of each player and create synergies. This collaboration and specialization promote the development of new products and services. This benefits customers and makes the platform competitive.
⚠️ Of course, there are also challenges and risks. They can undermine customer trust. Security risks are particularly critical. The platforms process sensitive data and present attractive targets for cyberattacks. Regulatory requirements can be complex and vary by region. This makes compliance difficult. Technological dependencies on third-party suppliers can lead to problems if those suppliers experience technical difficulties or even fail. These challenges require careful management and continuous adaptation to new circumstances.
Advantages for banks and for customers
Interesting for banks: What does this opening bring? Platform banking is revolutionizing the way in which financial services are offered and used. A single digital platform integrates various financial products and services. This offers numerous advantages for customers and financial institutions:
💯 Enhancement of the product portfolio: arranging loans from other banks allows
the bank to expand its own product portfolio. This is done without the concomitant risk and increased complexity. The bank can offer its customers different products and conditions that best meet their individual requirements.
👍 Improved customer satisfaction: Customers value being given multiple options and transparent comparisons. The bank offering products from other institutions strengthens its position as a trusted financial advisor. This improves customer loyalty. Customers see the bank as a one-stop shop for their financial needs, even if the best loan is not always its own.
💸 Additional revenue sources: Other banks usually pay commission for arranging loans to the intermediary bank. This additional income strengthens the business model without own capital or the risk of credit default.
🔥 Reduction of credit risk: By arranging third-party loans, the bank reduces its credit risks. Instead of providing loans and bearing the associated risk, it acts as an intermediary. This minimizes the risk of loan defaults.
🔝 Competitiveness: In an increasingly digital and transparent financial market, banks must remain competitive. They can compete with fintechs and comparison portals by offering their customers the best products on the market. The bank gains visibility of the loan offers and conditions of other institutions. This helps it to improve its own products and services.
👀 Strengthened trust and transparency: Banks offering loans from other institutions demonstrate to their customers that they are transparent and less self-serving. This fosters trust and long-term relationships. The bank is focused on the best financial solutions for its customers not on its own profit.
Conclusion
Platform banking offers a valve – in both directions. By integrating various financial products and services on a single digital platform, platform banking offers numerous advantages to customers and to financial institutions. It represents a significant step towards a modern, inter-connected and customer-oriented financial world.
Promising? Yes! It enables banks to change their business models easily and quickly by integrating flexible products and services. In our view, data sovereignty, DORA and other regulations in particular, still prevent many decision-makers from taking the step and changing their business model. We offer and host a platform solution for real estate financing in the Austrian market. Let us work together to improve your processes and your competitiveness.
#Bank #Digitalisierung #Optimierung #BankingAsAService #BankingBusinessModel
Note: The creation of the article images (DALL-E-3) and the revision of the text (DeepL Write) were supported by AI.