Increasing Customer Satisfaction and Reducing Cost Across Asia
Industry: Financial Services
Focus Area: Strategic transformation, operating model redesign
Key Outcomes: Cost reduction, increased service quality, increased gainshare, contract renewal
Region: Asia–Pacific (18 Countries)
A global UK bank with its Asian headquarters in Hong Kong needed to move from fragmented, locally managed real estate contracts to a single, integrated operating model across 18 APAC countries. The new arrangement, worth around US$100 million per year, was the largest of its kind in the sector.
The challenge
Service standards varied widely between markets
Local teams were solving problems in isolation
Senior leaders were pulled into operational detail instead of focusing on strategy
Portfolio level data was incomplete and slow to access
Over 1,100 staff and multiple supply chains had to be transitioned across diverse cultures and regulations
Friction showed up in inconsistent delivery, delayed decisions and limited visibility of performance.
What Michael did
Working with the bank’s service provider, Michael led a multi year transformation to design and implement a unified target operating model. This included:
Reorganising teams to meet cost reduction and performance targets
Standardising service levels and processes across all 18 countries
Establishing clear governance, decision rights and escalation paths
Building portfolio level performance reporting so leaders could see patterns early
Managing staff and supplier transitions while maintaining service continuity
He worked closely with global and local executives to keep alignment between strategy, operations and on the ground realities.
What changed
Glide path savings of 7 percent year on year with measurable service uplift
A 150 percent increase in client satisfaction within 18 months, unlocking greater gainshare potential
Clear, succinct portfolio level data that supported faster decisions
Strong executive relationships that reduced bottlenecks and enabled quicker resolution of issues
An off market contract renewal that extended the partnership
Client voice
“Michael worked alongside the global leadership team to deliver services across key markets in Asia. He brought a consultative mindset to increasing stakeholder satisfaction across the Bank.”
Nick Turner, Global Head Facilities Management & H&S, HSBC, London