Bendigo Bank Achieves Record-Breaking Digital Transformation: From 30+ Forms and Systems to One Unified Platform in 13 Months
Topics
Region
Bendigo Bank, one of Australia's most trusted financial institutions, has successfully completed one of the fastest digital banking transformations in the Asia-Pacific region of this magnitude, consolidating two separate business divisions and over 30 different forms and systems into a single, unified platform in just 13 months.
Before partnering with nCino, Bendigo Bank's Business and Agribusiness divisions operated like completely separate banks, each with distinct product origination systems, separate policies, different customer tools, and disparate internet banking platforms. This operational fragmentation created significant challenges for both customers and staff.
"We had customers using multiple tools, bankers using multiple tools," explains Neil Edwards, Head of Business Design and Product Ownership at Bendigo Bank. "We couldn't actually start to improve the process because we had multiple processes instead of one standardised approach."
Rather than pursuing incremental improvements, Bendigo Bank's leadership partnered with nCino to create an entirely new operating model. The bank adopted a "pace over perfection" philosophy, leveraging 87% standardisation from nCino's out-of-the-box capabilities to avoid costly customisation delays.
The transformation delivered measurable results across key areas:
Consolidated systems: Reduced from 30+ origination forms and systems to one comprehensive platform
Unified customer experience: Combined two separate internet banking platforms into a single interface
Standardised operations: Created consistent policies and products across both business units
Single pane of glass: Integrated view for sales, operations, credit, and post-approval teams
Record implementation time: 13-month deployment recognised as one of the fastest in APAC for this magnitude of transformation
Streamlined decision-making: Unified data and processes improve operational efficiency
Innovation capability: Standardised operations enable faster product development and deployment
The transformation's success was built on deep collaboration between Bendigo Bank and nCino teams. Edwards highlights the continuity of the partnership: "The people that I started speaking to four years ago, I'm still working with today."
This ongoing relationship enabled:
Weekly strategic conversations addressing immediate challenges and long-term planning
Embedded expertise with nCino architects and subject matter experts working on-site daily
Collaborative problem-solving leveraging nCino's global experience while addressing Bendigo's unique requirements
"We take the problems we're trying to solve and ask, 'how do we solve it together?'" Edwards notes. "We absolutely couldn't have done it without them."
The partnership between Bendigo Bank and nCino remains active, with ongoing collaboration addressing new challenges and opportunities. "We talk to nCino at least weekly," Edwards confirms, ensuring the transformation continues to evolve and deliver value.
Banking executives across APAC face similar challenges to those Bendigo Bank addressed—legacy systems, operational fragmentation, and the need to deliver consistent customer experiences while maintaining efficiency. Bendigo Bank's journey demonstrates that with the right partner and approach, comprehensive transformation is achievable in record time.
Ready to transform your banking operations? Download the complete Bendigo Bank case study to discover detailed insights into their 13-month transformation journey, including implementation strategies, partnership best practices, and measurable results that positioned them for continued growth.
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Holland Mortgage Advisors (HMA) is licensed in more than 25 states, partnering with local and national lenders to offer clients exceptional services at competitive rates. A 100% referral-based company, HMA works with industry professionals such as realtors, attorneys, insurance agents, and financial planners.
SMBC Trust Bank is known for its strength in foreign currency transactions, its business targeting wealthy individuals, and its services related to real estate transactions in the wholesale division.With SMBC Trust Bank’s growth in its mortgage business for high-net-worth individuals, paper-based operations reached their limits, and the digitization of business operations was necessary. Another major issue was improved convenience for foreign customers, who account for about half of the Bank’s loan amounts.
