Podcast ¦ Arum: Season finale What we’ve learned and what’s next for collections

Key Takeaways

1. Artificial intelligence serves as a force multiplier, enhancing speed and efficiency, but must be paired with experienced teams, governance and clear frameworks for success.
2. AI can significantly accelerate processes such as requirements gathering, testing and documentation, freeing up senior staff to focus on complex issues.
3. Continuous oversight in compliance is essential; organisations are expected to provide real-time proof of delivering fair and appropriate customer outcomes.
4. Embedding regulation into design processes, with traceability and outcome testing, reduces risks and simplifies regulatory interactions.
5. System implementation is a business transformation, requiring involvement across operations, compliance, strategy, data and IT, rather than a solely technical project.
6. Successful change management hinges on tailored training, support and communication for frontline and compliance teams, not just technology deployment.
7. Moving swiftly from insight to action is crucial; organisations utilising agile governance can adapt journeys quickly, mitigating potential harm.
8. Industry adoption of generative AI has shifted rapidly, with clients transitioning from experimentation to operational use within months.
9. The cultural readiness of frontline teams determines the successful adoption of AI, with initial nervousness giving way to curiosity and confidence once benefits are demonstrated.
10. Embedding AI across the entire change lifecycle—impact assessments, content generation, migration mapping and agent training—will become the norm.
11. Real-time compliance tools are advancing, enabling instant decision-point traceability and monitoring call quality for vulnerabilities or mistreatment cues.
12. Organisational agility is increasingly dependent on cloud-native, composable platforms that enable flexibility while maintaining robust governance and seamless customer journeys.

Key Statistics

• Organisations operate in over 23 countries, supported by RM globally.
• AI-powered testing frameworks helped a European bank cut cycle times in half.
• A utility client built a live QA framework for real-time outcome measurement.
• One large bank uses four specialist vendors across digital engagement, payments and core collections.
• AI tools like test packs can generate and validate scenarios in hours instead of weeks.

Key Discussion Points

• The accelerated pace of change in regulations (e.g., PAR 24/2) and technology (e.g., generative AI).
• How AI enhances productivity without replacing human judgement, acting as a complementary force.
• The importance of embedding compliance into business processes for continuous oversight and risk reduction.
• The need for holistic business transformation during system implementation, beyond just technology deployment.
• The critical role of change management, including tailored training and frontline engagement.
• Speed in translating insights into action as a competitive advantage.
• The rapid adoption of generative AI from lab experiments to core operational applications.
• Cultural shifts among frontline teams, initially hesitant but increasingly eager to explore AI’s potential.
• Emerging uses of AI in impact assessments, letter content generation and agent training.
• Real-time regulatory compliance tools for transparent decision-tracking and call quality monitoring.
• The ongoing trend towards cloud-native, flexible platforms that support rapid upgrades and seamless customer journeys.
• Evolving talent and delivery models, including hybrid approaches leveraging AI to bridge capacity gaps.

Podcast Description

This podcast from RM Global offers insights into how artificial intelligence, regulation and digital transformation are revolutionising the collections and recoveries industry. Designed for senior managers and decision-makers in financial services, it discusses practical lessons, emerging trends and future opportunities. Through expert commentary and case examples, the series explores how organisations can leverage AI to enhance operational speed, ensure regulatory compliance and foster resilient, customer-centric strategies.