Executive Opinion: When Banks Merge, ECM Systems Collide

By David Buttgereit, KeyMark, Inc.

When banks merge or one acquires another, technical and operational issues are seldom considered as carefully as matters such as branch overlap, expected cost savings, regulatory approval, etc. This is dangerous because the ultimate success of a new combined entity may well depend on the success or failure of integrating the former entities' technical and back office operations into a single cohesive unit. This includes the integration of existing ECM systems with core business applications. So what can you do in advance to provide the best chance of successfully merging ECM systems? The following are a few recommendations that can help you create a combined ECM infrastructure that effectively manages all the data necessary to streamline business operations post merger.