Financial institutions understand best the importance of saving money. Their core mission is centered on managing and optimizing finances, ensuring that every decision strikes the delicate balance between mitigating risk and maximizing revenue. While automation has become a key component of many financial institutions’ operational strategies, it is often seen as a tool for enhancing efficiency. However, automation can—and should—serve as a broader cost-saving strategy that delivers measurable financial benefits.  

Even though most lending and financial institutions leverage automation, they may be leaving money on the table. The following are smart ways to bring more value and savings to your automation initiatives. 

1. Identify Processes Primed for Automation and Optimization 

Most financial institutions, like banks or credit unions, use systems like loan origination (LOS), customer relationship management (CRM), and core banking platforms. However, many still rely on manual tasks or inefficient processes that automation can streamline or improve for greater savings.  

Start with a comprehensive process audit to identify repetitive or manual tasks, bottlenecks, and outdated workflows that could benefit from automation or further refinement. Focus on areas where delays—such as slow lending rule updates or pricing adjustments—can result in: 

• Missed opportunities to stay competitive with new rates or offerings. 

• Lost revenue due to delays in adapting to customer demands. 

• Increased costs from manual workarounds. 

Using a process mining tool can expedite the auditing process, making it easier to uncover inefficiencies and identify automation opportunities. Advanced rules engines further enhance existing processes without disrupting core systems. By enabling rule updates in hours or days instead of weeks, these tools drive significant improvements in operational efficiency and cost reduction. 

2. Improve System Integration 

Limited system integration is a common challenge for financial institutions, even with automation in place. When workflows operate in silos, inefficiencies emerge, slowing decision-making and driving up costs. Isolated systems lead to duplicated or delayed data, forcing manual interventions that undermine automation’s full potential.  

Fragmented technology exacerbates the problem, especially when automated workflows fail to integrate with critical systems like core banking platforms, loan origination systems, or external partner tools. Without seamless connections, bottlenecks and errors can arise in key processes such as: 

• Loan approvals. 

• Customer onboarding. 

• Compliance reporting.  

These inefficiencies not only inflate operational costs but also negatively impact customer satisfaction, as slow, error-prone processes can frustrate borrowers and stakeholders. Financial institutions lacking a unified orchestration layer face added difficulties adapting to market changes or regulatory demands, further compounding the problem. 

A solution lies in adopting a process automation platform that also serves as an orchestration layer. This approach unifies disparate systems, eliminates data silos, and ensures seamless information flow. By connecting workflows across core systems—such as banking platforms, LOS, and third-party tools—institutions can minimize errors, accelerate processes, and improve customer experiences. 

Low-code platforms like Decisions offer the flexibility to adapt workflows in real time, optimizing existing technologies and enabling scalable growth for the future. 

3. Staying on Top of Compliance Management 

Compliance and risk management are critical areas where better automation can significantly reduce costs. Falling behind on regulatory updates can lead to hefty fines, legal disputes, and costly remediation efforts. Outdated compliance systems increase operational burdens and the risk of penalties. By implementing systems designed to stay ahead of regulatory changes, institutions can reduce the financial and operational burden of compliance management while avoiding disruptions. 

With a flexible, low-code platform, financial institutions can rapidly update compliance workflows and risk models to align with evolving requirements. Solutions like Decisions offer transparent audit trails for every automated decision, reducing legal risks while ensuring regulatory compliance. These efficiencies save time and money while avoiding operational disruptions. 

Explore More Ways to Save 

The preceding examples are just three ways to boost cost savings for your institution. There are many others, including: 

• Continuous improvement initiatives. 

• Enhancing scalability. 

• Reducing time to market for new products 

• Customizing rigid systems.  

Request a demo today and discover how Decisions can help you achieve greater savings and increased revenue for your organization.