Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
Finance & Accounting
Strategy / MBA Resources
Case Study SWOT Analysis Solution
Case Study Description of Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches
Describes how Bankinter, a mid-sized Spanish bank, altered the information set available to its customer-facing employees. In the spring of 2003, Bankinter introduced an Excel-based program called the mortgage simulator that helped branch managers calculate the price of a mortgage and estimate the customer lifetime value (CLV). Facilitates a discussion of the impact of such a change in the information set for employees when the incentives and decision rights remain unchanged. Also examines the tradeoffs front-line employees face as they divide their efforts between reaching new customers and increasing the amount of cross-selling to existing customers.
Authors :: F. Asis Martinez-Jerez, Katherine Miller
Swot Analysis of "Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches" written by F. Asis Martinez-Jerez, Katherine Miller includes – strengths weakness that are internal strategic factors of the organization, and opportunities and threats that Bankinter Simulator facing as an external strategic factors. Some of the topics covered in Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches case study are - Strategic Management Strategies, and Finance & Accounting.
Some of the macro environment factors that can be used to understand the Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches casestudy better are - – supply chains are disrupted by pandemic , wage bills are increasing, increasing household debt because of falling income levels, banking and financial system is disrupted by Bitcoin and other crypto currencies, increasing inequality as vast percentage of new income is going to the top 1%, there is backlash against globalization, there is increasing trade war between United States & China,
challanges to central banks by blockchain based private currencies, competitive advantages are harder to sustain because of technology dispersion, etc
Introduction to SWOT Analysis of Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches
SWOT stands for an organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . At Oak Spring University , we believe that protagonist in Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches case study can use SWOT analysis as a strategic management tool to assess the current internal strengths and weaknesses of the Bankinter Simulator, and to figure out the opportunities and threats in the macro environment – technological, environmental, political, economic, social, demographic, etc in which Bankinter Simulator operates in.
According to Harvard Business Review, 75% of the managers use SWOT analysis for various purposes such as – evaluating current scenario, strategic planning, new venture feasibility, personal growth goals, new market entry, Go To market strategies, portfolio management and strategic trade-off assessment, organizational restructuring, etc.
SWOT Objectives / Importance of SWOT Analysis and SWOT Matrix
SWOT analysis of Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches can be done for the following purposes –
1. Strategic planning using facts provided in Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches case study
2. Improving business portfolio management of Bankinter Simulator
3. Assessing feasibility of the new initiative in Finance & Accounting field.
4. Making a Finance & Accounting topic specific business decision
5. Set goals for the organization
6. Organizational restructuring of Bankinter Simulator
Strengths Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Strengths in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The strengths of Bankinter Simulator in Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches Harvard Business Review case study are -
Effective Research and Development (R&D)
– Bankinter Simulator has innovation driven culture where significant part of the revenues are spent on the research and development activities. This has resulted in, as mentioned in case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches - staying ahead in the industry in terms of – new product launches, superior customer experience, highly competitive pricing strategies, and great returns to the shareholders.
Ability to lead change in Finance & Accounting field
– Bankinter Simulator is one of the leading players in its industry. Over the years it has not only transformed the business landscape in its segment but also across the whole industry. The ability to lead change has enabled Bankinter Simulator in – penetrating new markets, reaching out to new customers, and providing different value propositions to different customers in the international markets.
High brand equity
– Bankinter Simulator has strong brand awareness and brand recognition among both - the exiting customers and potential new customers. Strong brand equity has enabled Bankinter Simulator to keep acquiring new customers and building profitable relationship with both the new and loyal customers.
Organizational Resilience of Bankinter Simulator
– The covid-19 pandemic has put organizational resilience at the centre of everthing that Bankinter Simulator does. Organizational resilience comprises - Financial Resilience, Operational Resilience, Technological Resilience, Organizational Resilience, Business Model Resilience, and Reputation Resilience.
Superior customer experience
– The customer experience strategy of Bankinter Simulator in the segment is based on four key concepts – personalization, simplification of complex needs, prompt response, and continuous engagement.
Successful track record of launching new products
– Bankinter Simulator has launched numerous new products in last few years, keeping in mind evolving customer preferences and competitive pressures. Bankinter Simulator has effective processes in place that helps in exploring new product needs, doing quick pilot testing, and then launching the products quickly using its extensive distribution network.
Sustainable margins compare to other players in Finance & Accounting industry
– Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches firm has clearly differentiated products in the market place. This has enabled Bankinter Simulator to fetch slight price premium compare to the competitors in the Finance & Accounting industry. The sustainable margins have also helped Bankinter Simulator to invest into research and development (R&D) and innovation.
Low bargaining power of suppliers
– Suppliers of Bankinter Simulator in the sector have low bargaining power. Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches has further diversified its suppliers portfolio by building a robust supply chain across various countries. This helps Bankinter Simulator to manage not only supply disruptions but also source products at highly competitive prices.
Digital Transformation in Finance & Accounting segment
- digital transformation varies from industry to industry. For Bankinter Simulator digital transformation journey comprises differing goals based on market maturity, customer technology acceptance, and organizational culture. Bankinter Simulator has successfully integrated the four key components of digital transformation – digital integration in processes, digital integration in marketing and customer relationship management, digital integration into the value chain, and using technology to explore new products and market opportunities.
Analytics focus
– Bankinter Simulator is putting a lot of focus on utilizing the power of analytics in business decision making. This has put it among the leading players in the industry. The technology infrastructure suggested by F. Asis Martinez-Jerez, Katherine Miller can also help it to harness the power of analytics for – marketing optimization, demand forecasting, customer relationship management, inventory management, information sharing across the value chain etc.
Learning organization
- Bankinter Simulator is a learning organization. It has inculcated three key characters of learning organization in its processes and operations – exploration, creativity, and expansiveness. The work place at Bankinter Simulator is open place that encourages instructiveness, ideation, open minded discussions, and creativity. Employees and leaders in Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches Harvard Business Review case study emphasize – knowledge, initiative, and innovation.
Strong track record of project management
– Bankinter Simulator is known for sticking to its project targets. This enables the firm to manage – time, project costs, and have sustainable margins on the projects.
Weaknesses Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches | Internal Strategic Factors
What are Weaknesses in SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The weaknesses of Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches are -
High operating costs
– Compare to the competitors, firm in the HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches has high operating costs in the. This can be harder to sustain given the new emerging competition from nimble players who are using technology to attract Bankinter Simulator 's lucrative customers.
Capital Spending Reduction
– Even during the low interest decade, Bankinter Simulator has not been able to do capital spending to the tune of the competition. This has resulted into fewer innovations and company facing stiff competition from both existing competitors and new entrants who are disrupting the industry using digital technology.
Compensation and incentives
– The revenue per employee as mentioned in the HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches, is just above the industry average. Bankinter Simulator needs to redesign the compensation structure and incentives to increase the revenue per employees. Some of the steps that it can take are – hiring more specialists on project basis, etc.
Need for greater diversity
– Bankinter Simulator has taken concrete steps on diversity, equity, and inclusion. But the efforts so far has resulted in limited success. It needs to expand the recruitment and selection process to hire more people from the minorities and underprivileged background.
Slow to harness new channels of communication
– Even though competitors are using new communication channels such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Snap, Bankinter Simulator is slow explore the new channels of communication. These new channels of communication mentioned in marketing section of case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches can help to provide better information regarding products and services. It can also build an online community to further reach out to potential customers.
Employees’ incomplete understanding of strategy
– From the instances in the HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches, it seems that the employees of Bankinter Simulator don’t have comprehensive understanding of the firm’s strategy. This is reflected in number of promotional campaigns over the last few years that had mixed messaging and competing priorities. Some of the strategic activities and services promoted in the promotional campaigns were not consistent with the organization’s strategy.
Skills based hiring
– The stress on hiring functional specialists at Bankinter Simulator has created an environment where the organization is dominated by functional specialists rather than management generalist. This has resulted into product oriented approach rather than marketing oriented approach or consumers oriented approach.
Low market penetration in new markets
– Outside its home market of Bankinter Simulator, firm in the HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches needs to spend more promotional, marketing, and advertising efforts to penetrate international markets.
Interest costs
– Compare to the competition, Bankinter Simulator has borrowed money from the capital market at higher rates. It needs to restructure the interest payment and costs so that it can compete better and improve profitability.
Lack of clear differentiation of Bankinter Simulator products
– To increase the profitability and margins on the products, Bankinter Simulator needs to provide more differentiated products than what it is currently offering in the marketplace.
High cash cycle compare to competitors
Bankinter Simulator has a high cash cycle compare to other players in the industry. It needs to shorten the cash cycle by 12% to be more competitive in the marketplace, reduce inventory costs, and be more profitable.
Opportunities Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches | External Strategic Factors
What are Opportunities in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The opportunities highlighted in the Harvard Business Review case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches are -
Better consumer reach
– The expansion of the 5G network will help Bankinter Simulator to increase its market reach. Bankinter Simulator will be able to reach out to new customers. Secondly 5G will also provide technology framework to build new tools and products that can help more immersive consumer experience and faster consumer journey.
Finding new ways to collaborate
– Covid-19 has not only transformed business models of companies in Finance & Accounting industry, but it has also influenced the consumer preferences. Bankinter Simulator can tie-up with other value chain partners to explore new opportunities regarding meeting customer demands and building a rewarding and engaging relationship.
Reforming the budgeting process
- By establishing new metrics that will be used to evaluate both existing and potential projects Bankinter Simulator can not only reduce the costs of the project but also help it in integrating the projects with other processes within the organization.
Low interest rates
– Even though inflation is raising its head in most developed economies, Bankinter Simulator can still utilize the low interest rates to borrow money for capital investment. Secondly it can also use the increase of government spending in infrastructure projects to get new business.
Manufacturing automation
– Bankinter Simulator can use the latest technology developments to improve its manufacturing and designing process in Finance & Accounting segment. It can use CAD and 3D printing to build a quick prototype and pilot testing products. It can leverage automation using machine learning and artificial intelligence to do faster production at lowers costs, and it can leverage the growth in satellite and tracking technologies to improve inventory management, transportation, and shipping.
Leveraging digital technologies
– Bankinter Simulator can leverage digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate the production process, customer analytics to get better insights into consumer behavior, realtime digital dashboards to get better sales tracking, logistics and transportation, product tracking, etc.
Buying journey improvements
– Bankinter Simulator can improve the customer journey of consumers in the industry by using analytics and artificial intelligence. Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches suggest that firm can provide automated chats to help consumers solve their own problems, provide online suggestions to get maximum out of the products and services, and help consumers to build a community where they can interact with each other to develop new features and uses.
Developing new processes and practices
– Bankinter Simulator can develop new processes and procedures in Finance & Accounting industry using technology such as automation using artificial intelligence, real time transportation and products tracking, 3D modeling for concept development and new products pilot testing etc.
Redefining models of collaboration and team work
– As explained in the weaknesses section, Bankinter Simulator is facing challenges because of the dominance of functional experts in the organization. Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches case study suggests that firm can utilize new technology to build more coordinated teams and streamline operations and communications using tools such as CAD, Zoom, etc.
Use of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies for transactions
– The popularity of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies as asset class and medium of transaction has opened new opportunities for Bankinter Simulator in the consumer business. Now Bankinter Simulator can target international markets with far fewer capital restrictions requirements than the existing system.
Reconfiguring business model
– The expansion of digital payment system, the bringing down of international transactions costs using Bitcoin and other blockchain based currencies, etc can help Bankinter Simulator to reconfigure its entire business model. For example it can used blockchain based technologies to reduce piracy of its products in the big markets such as China. Secondly it can use the popularity of e-commerce in various developing markets to build a Direct to Customer business model rather than the current Channel Heavy distribution network.
Identify volunteer opportunities
– Covid-19 has impacted working population in two ways – it has led to people soul searching about their professional choices, resulting in mass resignation. Secondly it has encouraged people to do things that they are passionate about. This has opened opportunities for businesses to build volunteer oriented socially driven projects. Bankinter Simulator can explore opportunities that can attract volunteers and are consistent with its mission and vision.
Increase in government spending
– As the United States and other governments are increasing social spending and infrastructure spending to build economies post Covid-19, Bankinter Simulator can use these opportunities to build new business models that can help the communities that Bankinter Simulator operates in. Secondly it can use opportunities from government spending in Finance & Accounting sector.
Threats Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches External Strategic Factors
What are Threats in the SWOT Analysis / TOWS Matrix / Weighted SWOT Analysis
The threats mentioned in the HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches are -
Increasing international competition and downward pressure on margins
– Apart from technology driven competitive advantage dilution, Bankinter Simulator can face downward pressure on margins from increasing competition from international players. The international players have stable revenue in their home market and can use those resources to penetrate prominent markets illustrated in HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches .
Shortening product life cycle
– it is one of the major threat that Bankinter Simulator is facing in Finance & Accounting sector. It can lead to higher research and development costs, higher marketing expenses, lower customer loyalty, etc.
High dependence on third party suppliers
– Bankinter Simulator high dependence on third party suppliers can disrupt its processes and delivery mechanism. For example -the current troubles of car makers because of chip shortage is because the chip companies started producing chips for electronic companies rather than car manufacturers.
Environmental challenges
– Bankinter Simulator needs to have a robust strategy against the disruptions arising from climate change and energy requirements. EU has identified it as key priority area and spending 30% of its 880 billion Euros European post Covid-19 recovery funds on green technology. Bankinter Simulator can take advantage of this fund but it will also bring new competitors in the Finance & Accounting industry.
Technology acceleration in Forth Industrial Revolution
– Bankinter Simulator has witnessed rapid integration of technology during Covid-19 in the Finance & Accounting industry. As one of the leading players in the industry, Bankinter Simulator needs to keep up with the evolution of technology in the Finance & Accounting sector. According to Mckinsey study top managers believe that the adoption of technology in operations, communications is 20-25 times faster than what they planned in the beginning of 2019.
High level of anxiety and lack of motivation
– the Great Resignation in United States is the sign of broader dissatisfaction among the workforce in United States. Bankinter Simulator needs to understand the core reasons impacting the Finance & Accounting industry. This will help it in building a better workplace.
Aging population
– As the populations of most advanced economies are aging, it will lead to high social security costs, higher savings among population, and lower demand for goods and services in the economy. The household savings in US, France, UK, Germany, and Japan are growing faster than predicted because of uncertainty caused by pandemic.
Regulatory challenges
– Bankinter Simulator needs to prepare for regulatory challenges as consumer protection groups and other pressure groups are vigorously advocating for more regulations on big business - to reduce inequality, to create a level playing field, to product data privacy and consumer privacy, to reduce the influence of big money on democratic institutions, etc. This can lead to significant changes in the Finance & Accounting industry regulations.
New competition
– After the dotcom bust of 2001, financial crisis of 2008-09, the business formation in US economy had declined. But in 2020 alone, there are more than 1.5 million new business applications in United States. This can lead to greater competition for Bankinter Simulator in the Finance & Accounting sector and impact the bottomline of the organization.
Barriers of entry lowering
– As technology is more democratized, the barriers to entry in the industry are lowering. It can presents Bankinter Simulator with greater competitive threats in the near to medium future. Secondly it will also put downward pressure on pricing throughout the sector.
Consumer confidence and its impact on Bankinter Simulator demand
– There is a high probability of declining consumer confidence, given – high inflammation rate, rise of gig economy, lower job stability, increasing cost of living, higher interest rates, and aging demography. All the factors contribute to people saving higher rate of their income, resulting in lower consumer demand in the industry and other sectors.
Instability in the European markets
– European Union markets are facing three big challenges post Covid – expanded balance sheets, Brexit related business disruption, and aggressive Russia looking to distract the existing security mechanism. Bankinter Simulator will face different problems in different parts of Europe. For example it will face inflationary pressures in UK, France, and Germany, balance sheet expansion and demand challenges in Southern European countries, and geopolitical instability in the Eastern Europe.
Trade war between China and United States
– The trade war between two of the biggest economies can hugely impact the opportunities for Bankinter Simulator in the Finance & Accounting industry. The Finance & Accounting industry is already at various protected from local competition in China, with the rise of trade war the protection levels may go up. This presents a clear threat of current business model in Chinese market.
Weighted SWOT Analysis of Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches Template, Example
Not all factors mentioned under the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats quadrants in the SWOT Analysis are equal. Managers in the HBR case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches needs to zero down on the relative importance of each factor mentioned in the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats quadrants.
We can provide the relative importance to each factor by assigning relative weights. Weighted SWOT analysis process is a three stage process –
First stage for doing weighted SWOT analysis of the case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches is to rank the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. This will help you to assess the most important strengths and weaknesses of the firm and which one of the strengths and weaknesses mentioned in the initial lists are marginal and can be left out.
Second stage for conducting weighted SWOT analysis of the Harvard case study Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches is to give probabilities to the external strategic factors thus better understanding the opportunities and threats arising out of macro environment changes and developments.
Third stage of constructing weighted SWOT analysis of Bankinter: Deploying the Mortgage Simulator to the Branches is to provide strategic recommendations includes – joining likelihood of external strategic factors such as opportunities and threats to the internal strategic factors – strengths and weaknesses. You should start with external factors as they will provide the direction of the overall industry. Secondly by joining probabilities with internal strategic factors can help the company not only strategic fit but also the most probably strategic trade-off that Bankinter Simulator needs to make to build a sustainable competitive advantage.