Targeted Tech Adoption Reshapes Marketing and Compliance Across Financial Institutions

Digital change within the financial sector no longer hinges on large-scale innovation alone. Companies are finding measurable success by improving specific internal functions, particularly in areas like customer outreach and regulatory compliance. These changes are helping financial institutions reduce manual effort, refine communication, and adapt swiftly to policy changes.

Poonawalla Fincorp Limited (PFL), an NBFC with a growing national footprint, has taken strong steps to make these processes more responsive. The company’s recent developments reflect a broader trend, echoed by banks such as Federal Bank, IndusInd Bank, and Bank of Baroda, all of which are rolling out targeted improvements to key departments.

Also Read: Study Abroad Loans Simplified: IDP and Poonawalla Fincorp's New Move

Improved Marketing Through Personalisation and Cohort Design

Poonawalla Fincorp has implemented a system that builds distinct customer profiles using live behavioral data. With over 100 borrower cohorts in place, the company can reach specific user groups with timely messages based on geography, usage patterns, and interest levels.

Campaigns are designed and executed automatically across the app and website, running around 80 to 100 campaigns in rotation. These include tailored content for users based on actions they’ve taken—such as viewing loan details, checking eligibility, or initiating a referral.

In line with this, PFL has redesigned its website to include more user-driven features. Customers can now track their credit score instantly, send referrals through QR codes, and manage their journey through a self-serve portal. These tools cut dependency on human representatives, helping users complete transactions and queries at their own pace.

The second stage of this plan includes a 24/7 virtual assistant with support in five Indian languages. This will enhance access for customers who may prefer non-English interactions, and for those engaging with the platform outside standard business hours.

Structured Compliance Management Reduces Turnaround Time

Poonawalla Fincorp Limited has also created an internal system to handle regulatory communications from the Reserve Bank of India more effectively. This solution identifies policy updates, matches them to company documents, and flags the areas that require attention. Compliance teams then receive a clear view of what needs to change, where, and how urgently.

By systematizing this process, PFL aims to move away from slow, manual coordination. The next update to this tool will allow it to auto-generate detailed compliance reports, which typically require two or more days when handled manually.

The company has already introduced data-based systems in other core functions like underwriting, collections, and governance, and the compliance solution fits into this larger framework of operational clarity and control.

Also Read: The Critical Role of Financing in Empowering India’s MSME Sector

A Similar Approach Among Leading Banks

Federal Bank is following a similar model by refining how it connects with users in different regions. Using location data and customer activity patterns, the bank curates content for push notifications and SMS campaigns. This enhances customer response and improves conversion on product offers. The bank’s internal compliance tool uses the same principle—flagging regulation mismatches in real time to reduce audit lag.

IndusInd Bank has adopted a marketing strategy tied to user actions. It uses customer transaction history to push specific product offerings, particularly in cards and small-ticket loans. On the regulatory front, it has introduced a monitoring system that detects compliance risks at the branch level and notifies concerned teams early.

Bank of Baroda has concentrated on accessibility and compliance documentation. The bank has added regional languages to its customer onboarding interface, helping a broader base of users. Meanwhile, it has deployed a logging tool that documents product-level changes as they happen, which simplifies internal reviews and helps during external inspections.

Focus on Problem-Solving Rather Than Transformation

These efforts signal a shift in how financial firms are using digital tools. The focus isn’t on transforming entire structures—it’s on solving long-standing issues with clean, direct solutions. For example, targeting borrowers more accurately or responding to compliance updates within hours instead of days.

In practice, this has made workflows more predictable. Marketing teams work with clearer customer data, while compliance departments get faster visibility into urgent requirements. This has a noticeable effect on cost savings, operational efficiency, and even team morale, as processes become more structured and less reaction-driven.

Customers benefit as well. With more intuitive websites, on-demand assistance, and language options, financial services are becoming more inclusive. The self-serve approach also empowers customers to take charge of their finances without waiting for assistance or navigating complex portals.

Also Read: The Role of Risk Calibration in Financing: A Game Changer for MSMEs

Conclusion

From Poonawalla Fincorp Limited’s borrower cohort systems to the internal audit upgrades at Bank of Baroda, financial institutions are making real progress through deliberate and well-placed digital choices. These actions are not driven by trends but by needs—needs that have existed for years but are now being addressed with tools built for modern workflows.

As more banks and NBFCs examine their operational weak spots, solutions like targeted outreach, policy mapping, and auto-generated compliance reporting are expected to become part of standard practice. These quiet improvements may not make headlines, but they make an undeniable impact where it counts—on execution, customer experience, and risk control.