Between AI and personalized advice: Kristel Delisle’s vision for the future of banking services
“We are at a pivotal moment where customers expect both speed and personalization. Technology is a powerful driver, but the human experience remains irreplaceable.”
Kristel Delisle, Senior Director of Strategy and Evolution
National Bank of Canada
As the banking industry is undergoing a profound transformation, Kristel Delisle, Senior Director of Strategy and Evolution at the National Bank of Canada (the Bank), stands out with a bold vision: to combine the efficiency of modern technologies with a human-centred customer experience. As she sees it, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), low-code development and hyper-automation provides tremendous opportunities to redefine the bank of tomorrow and its internal operations, while maintaining an authentic connection with customers.
For Kristel, the challenge is clear: to use technology to enhance the employee and customer experience while removing barriers. Here is her vision for addressing the opportunities of the future in five key areas.
1. Simplifying access to banking services through digitalization
Kristel identifies the simplification of transactional processes as one of the most critical opportunities in the banking sector. In a world where customers are looking for more autonomy and immediacy, the Bank is responding with an approach firmly focused on digitalization. “Our customers want an accessible, frictionless service that allows them to carry out their transactions independently,” she explains.
Enter two of the Bank’s strategic partners, ServiceNow and FX Innovation, who are playing key roles in automating core service. By digitizing simple processes that once had to go through the call center or a branch, the Bank can reduce wait times while providing customers instant access to a range of self-service options. "Automating our customers’ requests means they will no longer have to wait for email responses or follow up multiple times: they will be able to see the exact status of their request online." This is made possible thanks to the Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) module provided by ServiceNow, which extracts key data from paper documents.
An added advantage is that employees feel more valued in their daily work, freed from the burden of repetitive tasks. For example, the archiving of "sheets", papers printed during each transaction, which had to be transported by hand in bags, to then be transported and sorted in an operations centre. “Everyone thanked us for no longer having to carry around those bags of paper that had been giving them back pain!”
2. Teams engaged in sustained technological developments
But Kristel and her colleagues are looking even further ahead, seeking ways to integrate the teams themselves in the adoption of technological solutions, including through the integration of low code. This approach allows teams to design automation solutions themselves without requiring advanced programming skills. “With low code, we are giving our teams the tools to actively participate in our digital transformation,” Kristel emphasizes.
This autonomy is particularly appreciated by employees, who can now automate tedious tasks and improve efficiency. This must go hand in hand with a strategy that includes continuing education. By integrating new technologies and providing personalized support, the Bank ensures that its employees are ready to face the challenges of tomorrow. As technology evolves rapidly, the need to invest massively in training so that every team member feels supported and competent when using modern tools is undeniable. “Investing in our talents is investing in the future of the bank. AI opens up incredible possibilities, but it’s our teams who ensure its success every day.”
3. AI, the driving force behind a reinvented customer experience
Beyond digitalization, Kristel sees AI as an exceptional opportunity to transform the customer experience in an intelligent and responsive way. “AI is not just a trend. It is a catalyst for personalization and performance.” By integrating AI into its services, the Bank can not only process requests more smoothly, but also anticipate each customer’s needs, offering faster and more tailored solutions.
For example, chatbots provide customers with immediate answers to common questions, while solutions such as Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) streamline internal processes by reducing employee workload and customer wait times. However, Kristel is clear: although AI simplifies interactions, it should not replace humans.
“In key areas such as financial planning or mortgages, human support remains essential. AI can automate some steps, but it is personal contact that builds trust and provides real added value."
4. Personalization and inclusion: A bank for everyone
Accordingly to Kristel, a modern banking sector should not be limited to the most tech-savvy. “It is crucial that no one is left behind by our digital transformation,” she argues, which means that the Bank must take care of customers who are less familiar with digital technologies.
The "On Behalf" initiative is a concrete example of this commitment. By offering support to its more vulnerable customers, the Bank allows employees to carry out digital transactions on behalf of those who prefer to avoid technology. “We ensure that everyone has access to services tailored to their needs.” This inclusion is fundamental to our mission,” she explains. The Bank ensures that every customer, regardless of their socio-cultural background or age, benefits from a tailored service, all while encouraging progressive autonomy.
“Our customers want to be able to navigate our range of services easily without spending hours deciphering terms and conditions. It’s up to us to make our services as intuitive as possible so that everyone – from novice to expert – can navigate their financial journey with confidence. ”
5. Future challenges: Simplifying complexity
In reality, this need for simplification is felt across the entire customer base because as banking and financial services diversify, the variety of products and services offered continues to grow. When it comes to making informed choices, the wealth of options can become a real headache for customers. Their expectations are moving in the opposite direction: they are looking for a simpler experience, where clarity and efficiency prevail.
Kristel notes that this tension between the variety of services and the desire for simplification has become a major challenge for banking institutions, which must rethink their processes and communications to provide a more fluid and accessible experience. “Our customers want to be able to navigate our services easily, without spending hours deciphering terms and conditions. It’s our job to make our services as intuitive as possible so that everyone – from novice to expert – can navigate their financial journey with confidence.”
This is why she and her teams are working to deploy ServiceNow features that will give customers access to detailed, real-time information on their complex banking procedures, particularly with regard to estates or mortgages.
Conclusion
For Kristel Delisle, the future of banking lies in a synergy between technological innovation and the humanization of services. Digitalization, artificial intelligence and hyper-automation allow the Bank to meet growing customer expectations while remaining focused on personalization.
Juggling growing customer expectations, increasingly complex technology solutions, and the need for transparency and security is no easy task. But in tackling it with so much rigour and humanism, there can be no doubt that Kristel Delisle and her teams at the Bank will succeed brilliantly.
“Technology is here to serve humans, not the other way around. It is easy to get carried away by technological advances and rush in full steam ahead. The key to success is asking how these advances can significantly improve the lives of people, customers and employees alike.”