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Training for Transformation: Establishing a Digital Workforce

First National Bank (FNB)

“Empower your team for automation success by implementing best-practice processes, policies, and training programs— equipping them with the skills to excel.”

Dianne Harris
Head of Process Excellence - DigiBlu
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Overview

First National Bank (FNB) is one of South Africa's premier financial institutions, with a presence in multiple African countries. Established in 1838, FNB offers a wide range of banking and financial services, including personal, business, and corporate banking. The bank is known for its customer-centric approach and innovative use of technology to enhance banking experiences. 

Problem Statement

Despite significant investments in intelligent automation, FNB relied heavily on external consultants for implementation due to limited internal resources and expertise. To realize its ambition of building internal capabilities, FNB sought to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

Solution

Following a successful pilot automating a high-volume account opening process, DigiBlu partnered with FNB to set up the CoE. Key actions included:


  • Engaging stakeholders to assess current capabilities and define objectives and KPIs.

  • Adapting the Blue Prism Robotic Operating Model (ROM) using DigiBlu’s Framework for Virtual Operations.

  • Delivering a comprehensive CoE Blueprint, including service, operating, and governance models.

  • Developing policies, processes, and guidelines for effective demand, delivery, and operations management.

  • Training staff to become automation engineers, process controllers, and automation managers.


With the CoE established, DigiBlu led the first wave of RPA implementations, starting with the account opening process

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Outcome

The newly formed team automated the account opening process across 142 screens of the core banking system, achieving outstanding results:


  • Automation of 50,000 accounts per month

  • Deployment of 5 bots, reducing processing time from 10 minutes to just 3 minutes

  • Release of 12 full-time equivalents (FTE) for more strategic tasks


The CoE quickly scaled, with 14 candidates completing DigiBlu’s training boot camp, and over 80% passing the Blue Prism Developer accreditation exam. By the end of the engagement, FNB had several automations in production, positioning the bank to sustain and expand its automation initiatives.

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