Designing, Deploying and Scaling an Automation Centre of Excellence
Old Mutual
"An Automation Centre of Excellence accelerates growth by streamlining processes, reducing costs, and driving consistent, scalable automation—empowering your business to operate smarter and faster."
Jonathan Hinder
COO - DigiBlu
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Overview
Old Mutual, a leading financial services provider offering insurance, investment, and banking solutions, recognized the need to adapt to rapid market changes and rising customer expectations. Faced with growing competition and an increasingly complex regulatory environment, Old Mutual sought to leverage Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to improve operational efficiency and maintain a competitive edge.
Problem Statement
Old Mutual was struggling with rising operational costs, increasing regulatory demands, and a lack of operational efficiency. Customers were experiencing longer wait times and inconsistent service due to manual, outdated processes. Additionally, the complexity of regulatory requirements further increased administrative burdens, making it harder for Old Mutual to stay competitive and meet customer expectations for fast, reliable service.
Solution
DigiBlu began by conducting an in-depth pilot, assessing Old Mutual's existing processes to identify high-impact automation opportunities. Following this, we worked closely with Old Mutual to establish a group-level operating model for managing a scalable digital workforce. This operating model not only targeted core servicing and administrative processes but also laid a foundation for future automation opportunities. A key part of the solution was a comprehensive training program that equipped Old Mutual’s employees with the skills to manage and scale RPA initiatives. This blend of strategy and training empowered employees, ensuring long-term sustainability of automation efforts.
Outcome
As a result of the RPA deployment, Old Mutual successfully automated 64 processes, leading to 262 production deployments. This resulted in over 150,000 hours of manual work saved, enabling staff to focus on more strategic, value-driven tasks. The RPA initiative delivered an ROI exceeding 200%, far surpassing industry standards for similar projects. Operational efficiency dramatically improved, with 50% of customer cases processed on the same day, cutting the average processing time by half. These improvements not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also bolstered Old Mutual’s competitive position in the financial services market.