How technology empowers compliance in personalization at scale

Learn how financial services leaders can use GenAI to build information superiority as a competitive advantage.

Executive summary

• GenAI enables financial services organizations to balance personalization at scale with compliance considerations, reducing risk while driving customer growth and operational efficiency.
• Data-driven marketing helps financial services organizations ensure privacy and security are integral, not obstacles, to innovation, positioning them for sustained competitive advantage.
• The EY-Adobe Alliance empowers financial services organizations to transform customer experiences through scalable personalization, aligning data governance with compliance and strategic goals.

The customer engagement journey is in transition as we move into a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and the massive volumes of data it ingests to make actionable. Innovation, adaptability and corporate responsibility are at the forefront of this seismic shift, demanding solutions that meet the needs of both brands and consumers.

Financial services organizations (FSO) marketing and sales teams are under great pressure to deliver growth results through new marketing campaigns, lead generation activities and cross-selling opportunities. Organizations often set aggressive targets for marketers and cost-saving goals for operations, all while maintaining adherence to risk and compliance policies.

GenAI-powered tools can help business and marketing leaders establish a customer data platform with real-time, first-party data insights to drive personalized experiences at scale through optimized customer journey orchestration and channel optimization. The EY-Adobe Alliance enables organizations to make better, risk-aware decisions aligned with their strategic objectives by offering integrated risk management solutions and helping organizations manage governance and compliance effectively through advanced technology. Combined with innovative tools like Adobe Analytics, Adobe Target, Customer Journey Analytics, and Customer Journey Orchestration, we can help organizations turn information into competitive advantages. 

Embed risk intelligence into personalization at scale

Marketing and sales goals are typically set for a defined time, but adapting on the fly can be challenging for firms, especially when facing evolving regulations, consumer data laws, and privacy concerns. These external factors can either slow progress or drive growth. When viewed as opportunities rather than obstacles, external factors can prompt the necessary changes that improve marketing campaigns and sales strategies. They can also reduce the cost of acquisition and increase the efficiency of the marketing and sales journey.

Forward-looking financial services firms integrate risk intelligence into critical customer interactions across the customer journey, moving beyond traditional risk management processes. AI can support this shift by providing immediate, closed-loop reporting and transparency, enabling risk and compliance teams to monitor the real-time impact of marketing and sales efforts. This reduces uncertainty and allows for quick adjustments if issues arise, making risk teams more comfortable with taking calculated risks. Risk assessments now also consider upside risks in customer acquisition and revenue streams, helping to identify potential issues early, provide control designs for compliance, and embed automated safeguards into workflows. By embedding risk management into new product development, firms can design offerings with known risks in mind, streamline review processes, and bring products to market faster.

Marketing and business leaders should involve risk teams early and consistently to gain a clear, comprehensive understanding of all customer touchpoints when adopting emerging technologies. Together with our CX strategy and implementation capabilities, and Adobe’s GenAI-embedded solutions, EY can help organizations drive business growth, adapt swiftly, and optimize seamless CX transformations that prioritize customer personalization and mitigate risks in every interaction.

Data remains one of the most critical assets and sources of competitive advantage for organizations.  In a recent EY survey of marketing professionals in financial services, insurance, and wealth management, 50% of respondents from “growth firms” identified data and analytics as the most important part of their role, followed by technology at 46%. Growth firms understand the importance of making data and analytics actionable and leverage GenAI to help transform and scale their capabilities.

The EY customer experience (CX) strategy and implementation capabilities, combined with the GenAI power of the Adobe Experience Platform (AEP), help empower organizations to optimize a seamless CX transformation that places customer personalization at the heart of every interaction.

Information operational superiority as a competitive advantage

The notion of information operational superiority is based in user trust. The need for a robust defense against regulatory scrutiny is paramount, particularly in highly regulated industries such as financial services. 

Information is no longer simply a byproduct of transactions; it’s a strategic asset to be harnessed, groomed and guarded. FSOs that value and trust the worth of their data will find that privacy and security are not barriers, but a path to sounder strategies.

Data flows with the markets it operates in, offering different levels of value in the various use cases aligned with the company's evolving strategic objectives. It needs a control center where information and insights drive real-time decisions.

Continually changing circumstances, both internally and externally, require the ability to rapidly evaluate and modify our information strategy, including our privacy and security control environment. The enablement of data, with the proper level of constraints, should calibrate to the value of the information in supporting corporate prioritized objectives. The enablement of data, with the proper level of constraints, should calibrate to the value of the information in supporting corporate prioritized objectives and customer expectations.

With the right legal risk experience aligned, FSOs can build an environment where compliance and data integrity are not just check-boxes but are strategically aligned with marketing objectives. This synergy is crucial for customer and growth leaders who often face resistance from risk management. By partnering with the EY-Adobe ecosystem that understand both risk management and customer dynamics, FSOs can ensure that all aspects of compliance are balanced with customer needs. EY’s strategy enables control over data, allowing marketers to utilize it effectively while remaining compliant, fostering an environment where innovation can thrive without compromising regulatory or risk-related concerns.

Confidence within reach

In a world where the pace of change only gets faster and GenAI is redefining roles, there are ways to find confidence in the most current answers and knowledgeable, collaborative guidance with a human in the loop. The EY-Adobe Alliance supports clients in optimizing GenAI-facilitated personalization at scale, helping FSOs use data responsibly to enhance performance for customers, business, employees, technology and compliance. That means more quality leads and engagement, higher conversion, deeper engagement, tighter compliance, and ultimately, fiercer customer loyalty.