Case Study: Bringing Order to Chaos in Wealth Management Operation

The Challenge: Broken Systems, Slow Onboarding, and Missed Opportunities

When a regional bank introduced a new wealth management system, leadership expected smoother operations and a better client experience. Instead, the rollout exposed deeper cracks. Onboarding processes were inconsistent, reporting still relied on clunky spreadsheets, and no one had clear documentation or ownership of the work. To make matters worse, Salesforce and the new WM system overlapped in confusing ways, leaving teams unsure of where data lived or which process to follow. The result was predictable: onboarding dragged, clients felt the strain, and the bank risked both lost revenue and frustrated staff.

The Approach: Strategy, Listening, and Quick Wins

Rather than jumping in with a prescriptive checklist, I started by listening. I met with subject matter experts to uncover the real pain points beneath the surface and aligned with leadership on expectations, KPIs, and timelines. From there, I focused on identifying quick wins - small but meaningful changes that reduced friction, built trust, and showed the team that operational improvements didn’t have to be overwhelming to make a big impact.

Fixes in Action: From Chaos to Clarity

I focused on these core areas to help cut onboarding time and improve the process for staff and clients: 

Clear Ownership and Accountability

  • Empowered the onboarding specialist as process owner

  • Built reference charts + SOPs to standardize steps

  • Cut out “ping-pong” handoffs between teams

  • Freed up client-facing staff to get back to revenue-generating work

Automated Reporting for Leadership Insight

  • Audited manual reporting practices

  • Rebuilt reports inside the WM system, adding visuals + KPIs

  • Delivered real-time dashboards so leadership could make better decisions, faster

Integrated Salesforce + WM System

  • Reviewed how teams were really using each tool

  • Synced data between Salesforce and the WM system

  • Automated approvals in Salesforce to cut bottlenecks

  • Reduced errors and created a single source of truth

The Results: Operations That Finally Work

Here’s what operational excellence looked like in action:

  • ✅ 88% reduction in onboarding time

  • ✅ Increased capacity without adding headcount

  • ✅ Relationship Managers + Financial Advisors freed to focus on clients and revenue

  • ✅ Improved morale and ownership across departments

Sustainability & Handoff

To make sure improvements lasted, I delivered:

  • Training and easy-to-follow process documentation

  • Clear ownership structures for every role

  • A roadmap for continuous improvement

This wasn’t just a one-time fix. It was the foundation for growth at scale.

Need Operational Support Like This?

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