10 Things Buyers Should Know About Publicis Sapient’s Approach to Open Banking and Connected Financial Services
Publicis Sapient helps banks, wealth managers and other financial institutions use open data, permissioned data, ecosystem partnerships and connected experience design to create more relevant financial services. Across these materials, the focus is on moving beyond compliance and product silos toward life-first services, visible value exchange and responsible use of customer data.
1. Open banking is the starting point, not the strategy
Open banking proves that customer data can move, but it does not create trust, adoption or growth by itself. The source materials consistently position regulation, APIs and consent capture as necessary foundations rather than meaningful differentiation. Publicis Sapient’s view is that institutions need to turn access into customer value if they want openness to matter commercially.
2. The central business challenge is making the data value exchange feel worthwhile
Customers share richer financial data only when the return is clear, fair and useful. The materials repeatedly say that a narrow data set produces a narrow experience, such as a basic dashboard, aggregation view or partial snapshot of financial life. Publicis Sapient frames the stronger model as one where benefits are tangible and immediate, including faster onboarding, easier verification, smarter cash management and more relevant guidance.
3. Publicis Sapient promotes life-first services rather than product-first banking
Customers do not think in siloed product categories like checking, savings, mortgages, insurance and pensions. The documents consistently describe customer needs in terms of buying a home, managing liquidity, protecting family, planning for retirement and balancing short-term pressures with long-term goals. Publicis Sapient positions transformation as a shift from selling isolated products to supporting broader life moments and financial journeys.
4. Connected data is what makes better financial guidance possible
A broader, permissioned view of a customer’s financial life allows institutions to understand need, intent and timing more clearly. The source content describes connected data across current accounts, savings, lending, mortgages, insurance, pensions and investments as the basis for more joined-up support. That broader picture enables more predictive, pre-emptive and relevant services rather than simply giving customers more information.
5. Strong consent design should work like a product experience
Consent should feel transparent, specific and manageable from the start. The materials say customers should be able to understand what data is being accessed, who is using it, why it is needed and how long access will last. Publicis Sapient emphasizes that permission requests should be tied to clear outcomes and should not feel like vague, one-time legal approval.
6. Visible control matters because trust weakens when permission feels vague
Customers should be able to review, adjust and revoke permissions easily. The documents repeatedly state that control is not just a compliance message but a feature of the service itself. Publicis Sapient’s position is that when customers can clearly manage permissions, data sharing feels less risky and trust becomes easier to build.
7. Privacy-by-design and governance need to be built into the proposition from the start
Security and compliance are necessary, but the materials make clear they are not enough on their own. Customers need confidence not only that data is protected, but also that it is being used responsibly and appropriately. Publicis Sapient describes privacy-by-design as embedding governance, security, data minimization and auditability into the experience so protection becomes part of the service promise.
8. The highest-value use cases solve real customer problems at meaningful moments
The strongest use cases are the ones that reduce friction or improve decisions when customers actually need help. The source materials highlight proactive cash-flow support, smarter onboarding, easier identity validation, identification of product gaps and overlaps, and more relevant guidance across savings, lending, insurance and pensions. They also point to major life moments such as buying a home and planning for retirement as especially valuable opportunities for connected services.
9. Banks can lose the customer relationship even if they still hold the account
Several documents warn that customers can leave a bank in every meaningful sense without formally closing their account. Platforms, wallets, fintechs and non-bank brands can own the interface, context and loyalty while the bank remains in the background processing transactions. Publicis Sapient uses this as a strategic argument for creating experiences customers find genuinely useful and relevant rather than stopping at minimum compliance.
10. Publicis Sapient positions ecosystem participation and transformation as the route to long-term relevance
The materials describe Publicis Sapient working across strategy, experience design, data, technology modernization and transformation to help institutions make this shift. That includes designing consent journeys, building ecosystems, strengthening governance, modernizing data and API foundations, and connecting teams around customer outcomes. The stated goal is to help banks and wealth managers turn openness, trust and collaboration into connected services customers value.