Navigating Vendor Lock in Philippines

The major bank in the Philippines spun off consumer lending products for the mass market into a separate entity. While the objectives of such strategic decision were clearly defined (better serve the needs of underbanked population and concentrate higher risk products in a separate entity), the tactical component raised numerous questions, among which was the future of IT infrastructure.

Adastra Business Consulting having had track record of successful projects with the mother bank, was invited to help resolve client’s situation.

What happened?

The client found themselves in the situation of vendor lock - all company’s vital systems and applications, including banking core system, were belonging to one vendor, which was further exacerbated by vendor’s unwillingness to cooperate.

How did it happen?

• Rush at the time of decoupling from mother company
• Proprietary technologies of the vendor
• Complex integrations
• Unfavorable contractual terms

Why is it bad?

This situation limited company’s flexibility and affected its competitiveness posing critical risk to the company’s very existence in the long run. For instance, even small changes to the mobile app required many months of development.

How the ideal state looks like?

• The company is flexible in adjusting its systems to reflect market changes and accommodate for company’s development aspirations
• Combination of vendor solutions and in-house development, emphasizing seamless integration and customization
• Effective collaboration between vendors and company’s in-house teams built on clear communication, agility in development, standardized change management, and well-documented APIs

We have a standard proven approach in Adastra Business Consulting to IT assessment projects: robust assessment methodology, extensive expertise and thoughtful team sourcing; combining all these elements allows us to meet and exceed client’s expectations in their digitalization journey.

Adastra Business Consulting helped the client to take immediate actions regarding status quo of their IT Architecture and namely to start negotiations with the vendor aimed at:

• Gradual takeover of business-critical applications
• Revisiting contractual terms
• Setting up agile development standards

This exercise resulted in series of potential critical projects such as Agile Transformation and Data Governance, which are anticipated to be launched soon. In addition, Adastra Business Consulting is currently supporting the client with their business transformation posing as a strategic and technological advisor.