Final Project Group Assignments 2024
Final Project Group Assignments 2024
Project
Team
Rouchdi Abdelsalam
Contemporary Management - Final Project
Prepared By
Name Email Address Tele. Number
[email protected]
Michael Samy +201069065438
This business case focuses on a company in the Consumer Finance industry, offering services
such as personal loans, credit lines, and small business financing. The company helps
individuals and small businesses access the financial support they need to manage personal
goals or grow their enterprises. In a world where financial wellbeing is so personal, the
company’s mission is to meet the real, human needs of its customers in meaningful ways.
Objective:
The company is focused on becoming more efficient and responsive, while putting both its
employees and customers at the center of its strategy. Here’s how they plan to achieve this:
1. Streamlining Internal Processes: The goal is to simplify the internal workings of the
company. By removing unnecessary steps and automating routine tasks, employees will
have more time to focus on providing personal and attentive service. This way, customers
will experience faster and more seamless interactions when they apply for loans or
financial support.
2. Improving Decision-Making Efficiency: The company aims to improve how decisions are
made by using data and insights to guide actions. This will allow employees to make faster,
better-informed decisions—whether they’re helping someone secure a personal loan or
advising a small business owner. The result is a more efficient process that delivers better
outcomes for customers in a timely manner.
3. Adopting Technology-Driven Solutions: By embracing technology, the company is
making financial services more accessible and tailored to each individual’s needs. For
example, with AI and automation, a customer might receive a loan approval in minutes or
get personalized financial advice based on their unique situation. These advancements
help the company serve customers more effectively, making their financial journeys
smoother and more convenient.
4. Empowering Employees: The company believes that happy, empowered employees
create the best customer experiences. By providing employees with modern tools, ongoing
training, and the freedom to make decisions, the company ensures that they are not just
following procedures but actively contributing to customer success. This leads to better
service, stronger relationships, and a work environment where people feel valued and
motivated.
Current Field of Development:
1. Internal Processes: The loan application process is one of the most important customer
touchpoints in the consumer finance industry, yet for this company, it’s become a source of
frustration. Customers often experience slow, difficult to manage workflows, with too many
steps and too much back-and-forth. As a result, both customers and employees find
themselves stuck in an inefficient system that delays decisions and approvals. For the
customer who needs a quick loan to cover an urgent personal expense or a small business
owner trying to secure funding to keep their doors open, these delays can have real
consequences.
On the employee side, teams are burdened by repetitive manual tasks, filling out
paperwork and following up on approvals that could be automated. They spend so much
time on these time-consuming tasks that they are left with little energy to focus on the more
meaningful work—like building relationships with customers and understanding their unique
financial needs. Streamlining these internal processes means the company can offer faster
service, improve accuracy, and allow employees to spend more time where it matters most
—helping people achieve their financial goals.
2. Technology: Currently, the company relies on outdated systems that are holding it back
from offering the best possible service to its customers. Manual forms, fragmented
systems, and disconnected data sources create unnecessary friction in every aspect of the
business. Customers who apply for a loan have to repeatedly provide the same
information, which not only slows down the process but also diminishes trust and
satisfaction. In today's world, customers expect seamless, fast, and secure digital
experiences—whether they are applying for a personal loan or seeking small business
financing.
Employees also feel the strain of these outdated systems. Having to manually re-enter data
and work across multiple platforms leads to frustration, inefficiency, and increased errors.
There’s no central hub for information, so employees often struggle to get a complete view
of a customer’s financial situation. Modernizing the technology infrastructure would
empower employees with real-time access to the data they need, allowing them to make
better decisions faster and provide personalized service. It would also enable the company
to meet customer expectations by offering a streamlined, tech-savvy experience—whether
online or in person.
3. Management Practices: The company’s current management structure is too rigid and
hierarchical, limiting both innovation and the speed at which decisions can be made.
Employees are often unable to act quickly when opportunities arise, and this trickles down
to the customer experience. When a loan application requires multiple layers of approval, it
not only frustrates the customer, who may be facing time-sensitive financial needs, but also
demotivates employees, who feel powerless to make decisions in real time.
This hierarchical approach stifles creativity and slows down the company’s ability to adapt
to the fast-changing demands of the consumer finance market. Employees feel they have
little autonomy, which limits their potential to offer new ideas, take initiative, or resolve
issues on the spot. This can lead to high levels of disengagement and turnover, which
further affects the company’s ability to provide excellent customer service. Transitioning to
a more decentralized, flexible management style that empowers employees at every level
would not only enhance internal decision-making efficiency but also create a more positive,
proactive culture. Employees would feel valued and trusted, leading to increased
innovation, engagement, and ultimately, better customer service.
High-Level Goals:
2. Inefficient Communication:
Another key weakness is the lack of effective communication between departments. Each
department involved in the loan approval process operates in isolation, with little to no real-
time sharing of information. This isolation means that when one department finishes its
review, it often takes time for the next to pick up the application, as they may not even be
aware it’s ready for the next step. Information must be requested and sent manually, often
through emails or internal requests, which further slows down the process and leads to
potential miscommunication.
3. Redundancy:
There is also a significant amount of redundancy built into the system. Information that could
be shared digitally and automatically is instead manually entered and re-entered as
applications pass from one department to the next. This not only wastes time but also
increases the risk of errors. Each manual transfer or entry of information is another chance
for data to be misreported or lost, which can lead to delays or even mistakes that impact
loan decisions. It’s a system designed for inefficiency, with employees forced to spend time
on repetitive tasks that could be automated, rather than focusing on higher-value work.
The current SOPs reflect a system that is out of sync with the company’s goals of improving
efficiency and customer satisfaction. The bureaucratic layers, communication barriers, and
redundant tasks create unnecessary delays and errors, frustrating both customers and
employees. Addressing these weaknesses is critical to streamlining the loan approval
process, empowering employees, and delivering a faster, more personalized experience for
customers in need of financial support.
Problems to Address:
1. Lack of Procedures:
The Average Loan Processing Time of 10 days, compared to the industry standard of 3-5
days, reflects a significant lack of standardized procedures within the company. The
absence of clear, streamlined workflows leads to inefficient handling of loan applications,
causing delays and bottlenecks. Without well-defined procedures for each step of the loan
approval process, employees must navigate a cumbersome, manual process, leading to
inconsistent handling and extended timelines.
This procedural gap causes the company to be 5-7 days slower than competitors, resulting in
customer dissatisfaction and increased risk of losing business to companies with faster, more
efficient operations. The lack of structure also leads to excessive back-and-forth between
departments, further slowing down the process and contributing to the delay in loan approvals.
Implementing standardized procedures would significantly reduce this processing time,
aligning the company with industry benchmarks and enhancing both customer satisfaction and
competitiveness.
2. System Deficiencies:
The System Deficiencies resulting from outdated, paper-based processes and
disconnected systems contribute significantly to operational delays and inefficiencies. Here's
how it impacts the company, using figures and numbers:
- Customer Churn:
o The lack of real-time system integration causes 15% of customers to abandon the
loan application process due to delays.
Loss: With an average loan size of EGP50,000, this results in a loss of EGP7.5
million annually from customer churn alone.
The lack of integrated systems is directly costing the company millions in lost revenue and
productivity, as well as contributing to higher customer churn and processing delays.
1. Training Deficiency:
o Currently, only 30% of employees are trained to use the company’s CRM or modern
financial tools effectively.
o As a result, employees take 25% longer to complete tasks that could be streamlined
with proper training.
Loss: With an average of 2 additional hours per employee per day, this results in
12,000 lost hours annually across a team of 50 employees, costing the company
EGP480,000 in lost productivity each year.
o Employees spend 40% of their time on manual tasks that could be automated with
proper use of technology tools.
o This inefficiency results in 30% fewer loan applications processed each month.
Loss: With an average loan size of EGP50,000, this inefficiency results in a loss of
EGP9 million annually in unprocessed loan opportunities.
o Due to frustration with outdated systems and lack of empowerment, the employee
turnover rate is 20% higher than the industry average.
o Replacing an employee costs the company approximately EGP25,000 in recruiting,
onboarding, and training expenses.
Loss: With a turnover rate of 10 employees annually, this results in an additional
EGP250,000 in costs.
4. Customer Service Deficiency:
o Untrained employees are 25% less likely to resolve customer inquiries on the first
interaction, leading to multiple follow-ups and customer dissatisfaction.
o This leads to a 10% increase in customer complaints and longer service times.
Loss: The delay in addressing customer needs costs the company approximately
EGP500,000 annually in lost revenue due to reduced customer satisfaction and loyalty.
The lack of training and human resource development is costing the company over EGP10
million annually in lost opportunities, reduced productivity, and increased operational costs.
Improving employee training and adopting modern technology tools could significantly mitigate
these losses.
5. Bureaucratic Inefficiencies:
The Bureaucratic Inefficiencies in the company, particularly the multiple layers of approval
and centralized decision-making, are causing significant delays and losses. Here's how
these inefficiencies are quantified:
The bureaucratic inefficiencies are costing the company over EGP33 million annually,
including missed opportunities, lost productivity, and increased operational costs. Streamlining
the decision-making process and reducing approval layers could drastically improve both
efficiency and profitability.
6. Lack of Data Integration and Information Flow:
The Lack of Data Integration and Information Flow within the company creates significant
inefficiencies across departments. Here’s how these issues can be quantified:
6. Continuous Improvement
o Regularly review procedures and gather customer feedback to refine processes.
o Use feedback loops to address pain points and maintain competitive processing
times.
7. System Integration and Automation:
o Implement an Integrated Digital Platform: Reduces manual data entry and errors.
o Adopt OCR and Data Capture Technologies: Automates data entry.
8. Error Reduction:
o Data Validation and Real-Time Error Detection: Reduces error rates
9. Increase Processing Capacity:
o Upgrade System Infrastructure: Supports higher transaction volumes.
10. Enhance Customer Experience:
o Customer Portal with Real-Time Tracking: Reduces customer abandonment.
11. Training and Change Management:
o Employee Training Programs: Ensures smooth adoption of new systems.
12. Comprehensive Training Program
o Objective: Train all employees in CRM, financial tools, and analytical software.
o Benefits: Reduces time to complete tasks, increases efficiency, and enhances
customer service.
13. Technology Adoption and Automation
o Objective: Implement and integrate automation tools to streamline manual tasks.
o Benefits: Increases processing capacity and reduces time spent on manual tasks.
14. Enhanced Employee Retention Strategies
o Objective: Improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover.
o Benefits: Reduces turnover rate and associated costs.
15. Customer Service Training and Improvement
o Objective: Provide advanced customer service training to reduce follow-ups and
improve resolution rates.
o Benefits: Increases customer satisfaction and reduces complaints.
16. Streamline the Approval Process
o Reduce approval layers by introducing tiered limits for faster decisions.
o Empower employees with decision-making authority to eliminate bottlenecks.
o Implement automatic approvals for loans that meet specific criteria.
17. Decentralize Decision-Making
o Create regional/departmental decision units for faster local approvals.
o Establish clear protocols so only high-risk cases are escalated.
2. System Deficiencies
Quantitative Benefits:
Productivity Improvement: Automating data entry and system integration can
eliminate 7,500 hours of lost productivity annually, potentially saving EGP300,000 per
year.
Error Reduction: Reducing error rates and manual rework can cut down the additional
3 days of processing time per affected loan, saving EGP500,000 annually in delays.
Increased Loan Processing: Upgrading systems can increase the number of loans
processed, recovering EGP12 million annually in missed opportunities.
Customer Retention: Implementing a customer portal can reduce abandonment rates,
saving EGP7.5 million annually from churn.
Qualitative Benefits:
Enhanced Data Accuracy: Automated data entry and validation improve the accuracy
of information, reducing errors and rework.
Better Customer Experience: Real-time tracking and automated updates enhance the
customer experience, leading to higher satisfaction and reduced frustration.
Operational Efficiency: Integrated systems streamline workflows, improving overall
efficiency and collaboration between departments.
Qualitative Benefits:
Improved Employee Morale: Better training and tools increase job satisfaction and
reduce frustration, leading to a more motivated and engaged workforce.
Enhanced Customer Service: Well-trained employees can resolve issues more
effectively, leading to better customer relationships and satisfaction.
Streamlined Operations: Adoption of modern tools and training reduces inefficiencies
and fosters a more productive work environment.
4. Bureaucratic Inefficiencies
Quantitative Benefits:
Faster Processing: Reducing approval layers and decentralizing decision-making can
cut down the approval time from 10 days to industry standards, potentially recovering
EGP18 million annually in missed loan opportunities.
Increased Productivity: Streamlining approvals and reducing waiting times can save
18,750 hours annually, translating to EGP750,000 in productivity gains.
Reduced Customer Abandonment: Improved decision-making speed can reduce
abandonment rates, saving EGP10 million annually.
Lower Turnover Costs: Empowering employees and reducing bureaucratic delays can
save EGP175,000 annually in turnover costs.
Missed Opportunities: Better decision-making can recover EGP5 million annually in
lost revenue from missed market opportunities.
Qualitative Benefits:
Enhanced Decision-Making: Faster approvals and decentralized decision-making
improve responsiveness and agility.
Improved Employee Engagement: Empowering employees and reducing bureaucratic
hurdles increase job satisfaction and morale.
Better Customer Experience: Faster processing times and real-time updates enhance
customer satisfaction and loyalty.
5. Lack of Data Integration and Information Flow
Quantitative Benefits:
Reduced Processing Time: Centralized data management and automation can
eliminate 3 days of processing time, recovering EGP12 million annually in unprocessed
loans.
Error Reduction: Improved data integration reduces errors, saving EGP500,000
annually in lost business.
Increased Revenue: Better data access and decision-making can recover EGP5
million annually in missed business opportunities.
Lower Turnover Costs: Efficient data flow reduces information search time, saving
EGP400,000 annually in lost productivity.
Enhanced Customer Retention: Improved customer service due to integrated data
can save EGP2 million annually from lost future business.
Qualitative Benefits:
Improved Data Accuracy: Centralized and automated systems enhance data accuracy
and reduce manual entry errors.
Better Customer Service: Real-time access to information allows for more
personalized and timely customer interactions.
Enhanced Decision-Making: Integrated data provides valuable insights for better
decision-making and market adaptation.