Client: Argos Financial Services
Duration: January 2015 - June 2016 (17 Months)
Service Provision: Senior Business Analyst

Project Overview

Building upon the successful delivery of a Target Operating Model assignment, Passingham Jones was engaged to collaborate on the design, build, and implementation of a revolutionary mobile application for Argos Financial Services. This strategic initiative aimed to transform customer account servicing and payment processing through a comprehensive digital solution.

Business Challenge

Argos Financial Services required a modern, user-friendly mobile platform to enhance customer experience and streamline account management processes. The organisation needed to:

• Modernise customer account servicing capabilities

• Provide a seamless digital payment channel

• Meet stringent regulatory and compliance requirements across multiple business functions

• Create a scalable solution that could accommodate rapid customer growth

• Establish a new primary channel for high-value financial transactions

Solution Approach

Requirements Gathering and Stakeholder Alignment

Objective: Establish comprehensive functional and non-functional requirements across all business areas

Key Activities:

• Collaborated with Product Owners to define core application functionality and user experience objectives

• Worked with Legal teams to ensure regulatory compliance and consumer protection standards

• Partnered with Finance to establish transaction processing and reporting requirements

• Coordinated with Compliance teams to implement risk management and audit trail capabilities

• Engaged Information Security specialists to define robust security protocols and data protection measures

User-Centred Design and Documentation

Objective: Create detailed specifications to guide development and ongoing evolution

Key Activities:

• Authored comprehensive User Stories aligned with customer journey mapping

• Developed detailed Use Cases covering all application scenarios and edge cases

• Created end-to-end wireframes documenting the complete customer journey

• Established design documentation to support both initial build phase and future application evolution

• Facilitated design reviews and iterative refinement processes

Key Deliverables

• Cross-functional requirements documentation spanning Product, Legal, Finance, Compliance, and Information Security

• Comprehensive User Stories and Use Cases covering all application functionality

• Complete wireframe documentation for end-to-end customer journeys

• Design specifications supporting both development and ongoing evolution

• Stakeholder alignment across multiple business functions and regulatory requirements

Business Impact

The AFS Mobile Application delivered exceptional results, establishing itself as a market-leading financial services solution:

Market Recognition: The application received numerous industry award nominations in its inaugural year, demonstrating excellence in design, functionality, and customer experience.

Customer Adoption: Achieved over 500,000 downloads within the first year, demonstrating strong market acceptance and customer demand for the digital solution.

Business Performance: Became the largest account servicing payment channel for Argos Financial Services in both transaction value and volume, representing a fundamental shift in customer behaviour and business operations.

Growth Trajectory: Sustained monthly customer acquisition of 30,000-40,000 new registrations, indicating strong market penetration and customer satisfaction levels.

Operational Excellence: Established a scalable platform capable of handling high-volume, high-value financial transactions whilst maintaining regulatory compliance and security standards.

Strategic Outcome

The mobile application transformed Argos Financial Services' customer engagement model, creating a primary digital touchpoint that exceeded all performance expectations. The solution successfully balanced complex regulatory requirements with exceptional user experience, positioning the organisation as a leader in financial services digital innovation.

Methodology

The engagement employed a collaborative, cross-functional approach that ensured comprehensive stakeholder input whilst maintaining focus on user-centred design principles. The methodology balanced detailed documentation requirements with agile design iteration, enabling both robust initial delivery and sustainable long-term evolution of the platform.

Client: Sainsbury's Bank Argos Financial Services (SBAFS)
Duration: September 2019 - January 2021 (17 months)
Service Provision: Business Analysis

Project Overview

Sainsbury's Bank Argos Financial Services engaged Passingham Jones to deliver a comprehensive regulatory compliance solution addressing persistent debt requirements. This critical initiative ensured adherence to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations whilst maintaining operational efficiency and customer experience standards across the organisation.

Business Challenge

SBAFS faced the complex challenge of implementing persistent debt regulations mandated by the FCA. The organisation needed to:

• Achieve full regulatory compliance within prescribed timelines

• Develop cost-effective repayment models that balanced customer affordability with business sustainability

• Establish robust operational processes for identifying and managing customers in persistent debt

• Create seamless customer journeys from initial communication through to resolution

• Coordinate implementation across multiple internal departments with varying requirements and constraints

Solution Approach

Financial Modelling and Regulatory Framework

Objective: Establish compliant, cost-effective repayment structures aligned with regulatory requirements

Key Activities:

• Constructed comprehensive financial tables mapping various repayment scenarios and customer circumstances

• Analysed cost-effectiveness of different repayment models to optimise both customer outcomes and business viability

• Ensured full alignment with FCA persistent debt regulations and guidance

• Developed affordability assessment frameworks supporting sustainable customer repayment plans

Process Engineering and Operational Design

Objective: Create efficient end-to-end operational processes for persistent debt management

Key Activities:

• Engineered detailed To-Be process maps covering complete operational workflows

• Mapped customer identification, assessment, and engagement processes

• Defined handoff points and responsibilities across multiple business functions

• Established performance monitoring and compliance reporting mechanisms

Customer Journey Optimisation

Objective: Design seamless customer experience from initial contact through debt resolution

Key Activities:

• Elicited comprehensive requirements for the end-to-end customer journey

• Mapped customer touchpoints from receipt of persistent debt communications to Customer Services engagement

• Designed communication strategies balancing regulatory requirements with customer clarity

• Established escalation pathways and support mechanisms for vulnerable customers

Cross-Functional Stakeholder Coordination

Objective: Align diverse internal stakeholders around unified solution delivery

Key Activities:

• Collaborated with Commercial Product Owners to balance business objectives with regulatory requirements

• Partnered with Operations teams to ensure process feasibility and efficiency

• Worked with Compliance and Legal teams to guarantee regulatory adherence

• Coordinated with Records Management and Information Security to establish data governance protocols

• Aligned with Customer Journey Team and Digital Product Owners to optimise customer experience

Key Deliverables

• Comprehensive financial tables and cost-effective repayment models

• Detailed To-Be operational process maps and workflows

• End-to-end customer journey requirements and specifications

• Cross-functional stakeholder alignment and coordination framework

• Regulatory compliance documentation and audit trail capabilities

• Performance monitoring and reporting mechanisms

Business Impact

The Persistent Debt solution delivered critical regulatory compliance whilst maintaining operational excellence:

Regulatory Compliance: Successfully achieved full adherence to FCA persistent debt regulations, protecting the organisation from potential regulatory sanctions and reputational damage.

Customer Protection: Implemented fair and sustainable repayment models that supported customers in financial difficulty whilst meeting regulatory obligations for treating customers fairly.

Operational Efficiency: Established streamlined processes that enabled effective identification and management of persistent debt cases without disrupting core business operations.

Cross-Functional Alignment: Successfully coordinated implementation across eight distinct internal departments, ensuring consistent approach and shared accountability.

Risk Mitigation: Created robust audit trails and compliance monitoring capabilities, providing ongoing assurance to senior management and regulatory authorities.

Strategic Outcome

The persistent debt solution positioned SBAFS as a responsible lender committed to customer welfare whilst maintaining commercial viability. The comprehensive approach ensured not only immediate regulatory compliance but also established sustainable processes for ongoing persistent debt management and customer support.

Methodology

The engagement utilised a structured approach combining regulatory analysis, financial modelling, and process engineering. Extensive stakeholder consultation ensured all perspectives were incorporated whilst maintaining focus on regulatory requirements and customer outcomes. The methodology balanced detailed compliance documentation with practical operational implementation.

Client: Alshaya Group - Starbucks Division
Duration: February 2022 - October 2023 (20 months)
Service Provision: Senior Business Analyst

Project Overview

Alshaya Group's Starbucks division embarked on a comprehensive Digital Transformation Programme to modernize their operations, enhance customer experience, and streamline business processes across multiple markets. Passingham Jones was engaged to deliver critical business analysis expertise across three key workstreams.

Business Challenge

The Starbucks division faced several operational challenges:

• Fragmented master data management across product and location databases

• Lack of integrated mobile ordering and payment capabilities

• Inefficient new store opening processes causing delays and misalignment between teams

• Limited visibility and coordination between global development teams and local market operations

Solution Approach

1. Master Data Management Transformation

Objective: Establish robust data governance and streamlined data processes

Key Activities:

• Conducted comprehensive As-Is process analysis for Product Management and Location Master Data

• Collaborated with development teams to engineer optimized To-Be processes

• Defined data schemas and validation rules to ensure data integrity

• Captured reporting requirements and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) specifications across multiple business areas

• Developed workflow validation frameworks

2. Mobile Order & Payment (MO&P) Application

Objective: Enable seamless mobile customer experience through digital ordering platform

Key Activities:

• Authored detailed User Stories aligned with business requirements

• Created comprehensive To-Be process mapping for the mobile solution

• Facilitated collaboration with international development teams

• Participated in full Agile methodology including Sprint planning, refinement sessions, retrospectives, and daily stand-ups

3. New Store Opening Process Optimization

Objective: Eliminate operational pain points and timing misalignments in store launch procedures

Key Activities:

• Mapped end-to-end New Store opening processes across multiple markets

• Coordinated with market teams, centralized operations, and third-party suppliers

• Designed holistic process framework with enhanced visibility for all stakeholders

• Established improved timing alignments and communication protocols

Key Deliverables

• Comprehensive As-Is and To-Be process documentation

• Data governance frameworks including schemas and validation rules

• Mobile application user stories and process maps

• Optimized new store opening workflow with stakeholder visibility matrix

• RBAC requirements and reporting specifications

• Agile ceremony facilitation and cross-team coordination protocols

Business Impact

The Digital Transformation Programme delivered significant operational improvements:

Operational Efficiency: Streamlined master data processes reduced data inconsistencies and improved decision-making capabilities across the organization.

Customer Experience Enhancement: The Mobile Order & Payment application provided customers with seamless digital ordering capabilities, positioning Starbucks for competitive advantage in the digital marketplace.

Process Optimization: The redesigned new store opening process eliminated previous pain points, improved cross-functional visibility, and established better coordination between global and local teams.

Organizational Alignment: Enhanced collaboration between development teams worldwide and local market operations through structured Agile practices and clear communication protocols.

Methodology

The engagement utilized a hybrid approach combining traditional business analysis techniques with Agile methodologies, ensuring both comprehensive documentation and iterative development practices. Close collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups across multiple geographical markets ensured solutions met varied operational requirements while maintaining global consistency.