Eliminating Friction in Financial Services: Compliance, Tech & Trust

We spoke with Karen Peters, an experienced consultant who helps financial services organisations transform complex communications at scale – focusing on compliance, readability, and customer experience.

Karen has advised CEOs, COOs, and CTOs at board level on meeting new regulations like Consumer Duty and the upcoming EU Accessibility Act.

She draws on her background in digital transformation, channel management, robotic process automation, and more to remove friction in customer journeys – while prioritising trust and compliance.

Consumer Duty and the Reading-Level Challenge

Consumer Duty was introduced in July 2022, requiring financial services organisations to provide clearer, fairer, and more transparent communications.

Karen points out how many firms are still not fully compliant, often because they rely on decades-old templates.

She notes that regulators expect communications to be readable at about an 11-year-old’s reading level, and be accessible to visually impaired and other vulnerable types of people.

With some banks having up to 15,000 templates, bringing them all up to standard is a major task.

"It might seem daunting, but the key is to combine compliance with a positive customer experience – simpler language, clearer structures, and timely delivery."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

European Accessibility Act: Inclusivity by June Next Year

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force on 28 June next year.

It compels organisations to make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities.

Karen highlights how many banks she consults still use older software systems that don’t cater to visually impaired customers.

"Why alienate hundreds of thousands of people?

Accessible PDFs, screen-reader-friendly portals, and inclusive language help meet regulations, and show customers you truly value them."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

She says firms can either build accessibility into new templates or retrofit older documents in batches.

Both approaches support positive customer outcomes.

Eliminating Friction across Channels

From call centre handovers to disconnected legacy systems, friction can erode trust and push customers to switch providers.

Karen calls this the “cancel culture” effect, comparing seamless experiences from giants like Amazon or Booking.com to the more cumbersome journeys still common in financial services.

"When a customer calls about a loan and wants to discuss their insurance, they shouldn’t have to repeat themselves.

Centralising data and setting up a strong preference management system – what we often call a ‘golden record’ – makes sure every team knows the latest customer details and channel choices."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

Managing Sensitive Data and GDPR

Financial services organisations handle large amounts of personal data, which must align with GDPR and other data protection rules.

Karen advises a strategy of data minimisation to reduce both compliance risk and irrelevance in communications.

"Customers hate meaningless mailshots.

If your data is properly governed and up to date, you only send what matters, when it matters.

That builds trust, and meets GDPR requirements."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

Where AI and Automation Fit In

Karen sees AI as a powerful ally in tasks like scanning legacy documents for readability or jargon.

She also notes that robotic process automation (RPA) can manage repetitive tasks, freeing staff for more skilled roles.

"Generative AI or algorithmic approvals can be risky.

It’s great for the donkey work – like identifying outdated templates – so long as a human signs off any changes that affect personal data or lending outcomes."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

She mentions the European AI Act already setting guardrails in Europe, although the UK hasn’t fully finalised its own approach.

"The future is exciting, but we’ve got to preserve trust."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

One Step at a Time: Rationalising Legacy Templates

Some organisations try a “big bang” approach, only to be overwhelmed by the scale of legacy systems and outdated documents.

Karen shares a story about a bank that discovered 1,500 interactive templates on a legacy platform – only 600 were relevant once duplicates and obsolete forms were removed.

"After rationalising, they simplified language, checked compliance, and updated the tech stack gradually.

That phased strategy reduced friction and got everyone on board."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

For banks wary of the cloud, APIs can integrate older on-premises systems.

"Sometimes you have to say, 'Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater—use what is still working.'

Just keep the bigger goal in sight."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

Securing Buy-in and Building a Culture of Trust

Compliance and technology projects succeed only with the right sponsorship and open communication.

Karen’s tips for driving cultural change include:

• Defined objectives: Align key stakeholders on outcomes like lower complaint rates, or faster sign-ups.
• Top-level support: CEOs and COOs set priorities, and allocate funding.
• Phased rollouts: Show early wins, such as improved Net Promoter Scores (NPS), to build trust, and reduce resistance.
• Staff training and awareness: Everyone, from call centre agents to developers, must understand the ‘why’ behind each change.

"People power transformation.

With the right culture, compliance becomes part of a better customer experience – not a box-ticking exercise."

– Karen Peters, SEFAS

FAQs

What Is Consumer Duty?

It’s an FCA rule that requires financial firms to show fair, transparent outcomes for customers.

Introduced in July 2022, it stresses clear communication and good-value products.

Why Focus on Accessibility Right Now?

The European Accessibility Act becomes mandatory on 28 June next year.

Firms must adapt their digital and physical communications to be inclusive, covering everything from PDFs to web apps.

How Does AI Help with Reducing Friction?

AI and RPA can scan large volumes of legacy documents, highlight outdated references, and automate repetitive tasks.

Karen notes that human oversight is essential for sensitive decisions.

What Is a ‘Golden Record’ for Customers?

A golden record is a single, centralised view of each customer’s data and preferences.

It avoids conflicting information across departments, which reduces handoffs and user frustration.

How Do We Tackle Legacy System Upgrades?

Start small. Identify outdated templates, unify one product line at a time, and gradually phase in cloud or API-based solutions.

Make sure you maintain clarity on your end goal.

References

Consumer Duty, Financial Conduct Authority, 2023

European Accessibility Act, European Commission, 2024

European AI Act, European Parliament, 2024

Reviewed by

Sam Kendall, 10.02.2025

Sabrina McClune, 10.02.2025