Streamline Customer Journeys, Support Vulnerable Customers, Harness Impactful Data & Strike The Right Balance Between AI Innovation & The Critical Human Element:
Address Vital Customer Needs & Deliver True Value With New Optimised, Empowering, AI-Enhanced Customer Experience Strategies In Financial Services
13th Annual | One-Day, Industry-Led Conference & Networking Exhibition, Central London | 21st May 2026
08.15 Registration & Informal Networking
OPENING REMARKS
09.00 GIC Welcome & Morning Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks
Celia Shek, Head of Audit, Consumer Relationships, Lloyds Banking Group
Craig Bridger, Partner & Senior Operations & Performance Manager, John Lewis Financial Services
THE ESSENTIAL HUMAN TOUCH: STRIKING THE PERFECT BALANCE
09.10 Calibrate Your CX Strategies To Capitalise On The Potentials Of AI Technology, Counterbalanced With The Vital Need For Soft Skills & Human Interaction
- How much is too much? AI is a powerful tool, but when should you take a step back from automation to deliver the vital human touch?
- From data hallucinations to embedded biases, understand the potential pitfalls of AI technology in order to mitigate against future problems
- The power of soft skills; prioritise empathy, ethics and engagement to mitigate difficult conversations and support vulnerable customers
- Build adaptable customer journey roadmaps that still cater for those who prefer to pick up the phone or interact face-to-face
Hannah Ratcliff-Barnes, Social Media Lead, HSBC
09.30 Bonus Session; Reserved For Signal
CUTTING EDGE AI & AUTOMATION INNOVATIONS
09.45 Go Beyond The Theoretical & Into Implementable, Time-Saving & Cost-Cutting Practices For Financial Services Powered By The Latest Developments In AI
- More than just a buzzword! Drive efficiencies and cost-cutting with actionable AI strategies, without compromising on quality and the need for human interaction
- Assess the landscape of self-service, apps and chatbots – what’s next for these technologies? How can chatbots be improved to limit the risk of misinformation or unethical biases?
- Explore the practical and immediate real-world solutions that AI can deliver, with clear and tangible benefits going straight to the consumer
- Human in the loop; how much human involvement and oversight do AI processes need? How far are we from automation that can be trusted to work truly independently?
10.05 Vulnerability support: good for customers… and better for the P&L than you might think
Every firm has a vulnerability policy. Far fewer have the infrastructure to consistently act to deliver good outcomes for all customers, including those experiencing the range of challenges life can bring – a regulatory gap, and a commercial one.
National Support Network’s Helen Beaumont Manahan will explore key areas where that gap shows up in practice and why some firms still struggle to operationalise effective support for vulnerable circumstances.
We’ll examine the enduring perception that supporting vulnerability is a costly compliance exercise, and consider examples where firms aren’t only meeting expectations around robust signposting and support – they’re seeing commercial return, too.
Helen Beaumont Manahan, Director, Client Success & CX, NSN
STREAMLINED & OPTIMISED CUSTOMER JOURNEYS
PANEL Q&A
10.20 Guide Financial Services Customers Through A Streamlined, Multichannel UX Journey That Incorporates Automation, Data Insights & Key Lessons Learned
- Craft an optimised omnichannel experience by joining the dots across different platforms to maintain a seamless customer experience
- One size doesn’t fit all; mitigate churn by utilising customer data to adapt customer journeys and cater for different generations, tastes and needs
- Identity and eliminate friction through consistent testing of your customer journey roadmaps
- What are the current and upcoming innovations in automation? What lessons can be learned from other industries and self-service platforms?
Mary Burnett, Head of Customer & Analytics UK, Bank of Ireland
Shelagh Martin, Head of Customer Experience, Just Group plc
Ross Barnes, Audit Director – Customer Outcomes, formerly Standard Life UK
10.50 Morning Refreshment Break & Informal Networking
SUPPORTING VULNERABLE CUSTOMERS THROUGH ACCESSIBLE DIGITAL DESIGN
11.20 Maximise All-Important Human Connections In Supporting & Assisting Vulnerable Customers, To Deliver Empathetic & Empowering CX Journeys
- How can financial institutions do more to offer help and support to financially vulnerable customers?
- Amidst the cost-of-living crisis and a post-pandemic world, assess the current landscape and likely future of financial vulnerability
- Evaluate every link of the customer journey chain to identify potential accessibility and UX issues
- How can AI and automation technology be adapted for vulnerable customers, and how much of a human presence needs to be maintained in order to prioritise empathy and understanding?
Tom Paget, Head of UX Design & Research, Santander
POWERFUL & ATTENTION-GRABBING HYPER-PERSONALISATION
11.40 Cut Through The Comms Noise & Speak Directly To Customers With Tailored, Relevant & Eye-Catching Personalisation
- Develop and maintain accurate and perceptive customer profiles, grounded in trusted data and crafted to speak to key customer needs
- Leverage real-time data and constant customer feedback at all touchpoints to deliver personalisation that goes beyond the superficial and drives real value
- What are the latest innovations and applications in automation technology primed to take personalisation to the next level?
- Assess the reasonable limits of personalisation in order to prioritise data privacy and cybersecurity, and to make customers feel not only seen but truly safeguarded
Sapna Kandukuri, Head of Marketing (ABM + Northern Europe), LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)
CRITICAL CUSTOMER-CENTRIC COMPANY CULTURES
PANEL Q&A
12.00 Instil A Customer-Centric Approach At The Heart Of Finance Business Practices By Unifying Company Culture Around Impactful CX Outcomes
- Everyone on the same page; foster a company-wide culture that promotes the value of CX and puts the customer front and centre
- Break down silos to facilitate cross-team collaboration and buy-in to a CX-driven roadmap
- Equip colleagues with the key tools and training that empower them to deliver truly first-class CX journeys
- Positive outcomes go both ways! Gather relevant employee feedback and address pain points to avoid burnout and disengagement
Susan Quain, Senior Product Owner – Workforce Planning, Lloyds Banking Group
Pietro Cagnina, Strategic Enablement & Change Delivery Lead, NatWest Rooster Money
Hannah Ratcliff-Barnes, Social Media Lead, HSBC
Holly Rylands, Head of Customer Insight, Vitality
Julie Walker, Global Scheme Manager, BSI
12.40 Lunch & Informal Networking For Speakers, Delegates & Partners
13.10 Informal Breakout Discussions
OPENING REMARKS
13.45 Afternoon Chair’s Opening Remarks
Rebecca Drummond, Director, Real-Time Service Experience, LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)
BUSINESS-CRITICAL MEASUREMENTS & METRICS TO SHOWCASE ROI
13.55 Leverage Vital Measurements & Metrics To Understand Your Customers’ Needs, Highlight Your CX Wins & Maintain Continuous Improvement
- Showcase your customer success stories by honing in on relevant and eye-catching metrics that tell the right narrative and show your organisation at its best
- NPS and beyond; what are the key metrics to measure customer experience outcomes, and translate this into impactful and updated future results?
- Demonstrate the clear and quantifiable value of your CX strategies to senior leadership with coherent ROI reporting
- Ensure that you are asking customers the right questions on the right platforms, and at the right time, to measure the key results where value can truly be added
REGULATIONS & COMPLIANCE: THE LATEST KEY UPDATES
14.15 Keep Your Organisation Compliant & Future-Proofed With A Detailed Understanding Of The Regulatory Landscape & Its Impact On Customer Journeys
- Assess the current state of regulations relating to customer experience – what is in place, and what is in the pipeline?
- Promote your organisation’s compliance credentials to generate long-term customer loyalty and trust
- Safeguard against non-compliance issues relating to AI technology by understanding the limitations and potential pitfalls of automation
- How has Consumer Duty impacted customer journeys? What are they key lessons learned and how can we continue to improve on them?
Mary Reuben, Head of Internal Audit, Controls & Governance Assurance, United Bank for Africa (UK) Limited
KEY INSIGHTS IN EVOLVING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOURS & EXPECTATIONS
PANEL Q&A
14.35 Key Lessons Learned! Deep-Dive Into Your Customers’ Needs, Concerns & Priorities To Deliver CX Strategies That Keep Pace With The Modern World
- Evaluate the key drivers behind customer expectations in 2026, from the cost-of-living crisis to concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy
- Asking the right questions; harvest relevant customer feedback across multiple points of interaction, to gain invaluable insights about key frustrations and friction points
- Strike the ideal balance between human interaction and digital self-service to ensure that no customer is left behind
- Making it right; when customer complaints are inevitable, how can you reassess handling processes to turn things around and convert negatives into positives?
Celia Shek, Head of Audit, Consumer Relationships, Lloyds Banking Group
Rosie Franca, Head of Customer Experience & Regional Board Member, NatWest
Mary Burnett, Head of Customer & Analytics UK, Bank of Ireland
Leigh-Anne Gray, Senior Specialist Complaints Manager, Vanquis
15.05 Bonus Session; Reserved For Exclusive Conference Partner
15.35 Afternoon Refreshment Break & Informal Networking
ESSENTIAL NEW TECH & DIGITAL INNOVATIONS
16.10 Innovate & Expand Your Tech Solutions With The Latest Digital Advancements To Enhance CX Without Breaking The Bank
- AI and beyond! What are the latest tech and digital innovations set to hit the financial sector, and how can they employed in a timely and cost-effective manner?
- Embrace the new! Embed seamless updates and new processes to boost CX efficiency without feeling disruptive
- Evaluate the regulations and potential security concerns around open banking to drive customer safety and long-term trust
- Streamline UX designs and promote ease of use to win over established customers and mitigate uncertainty and scepticism
Dan Wilson, Head of Customer Journey – Payments, Nationwide
IMPACTFUL & DATA-DRIVEN CX STRATEGIES
16.30 Optimise The Collection, Storage & Search Capabilities Of Key Customer Data To Power Personalised & Impactful CX Results
- Gather key customer data and feedback to fuel tailored and personalised CX journeys that speed up processes and lead to the best result first time
- Streamline data processes business-wide to create coherent, unified customer profiles that prioritise the right information
- The wrong data leads to the wrong outcomes! How can you best ensure that information is relevant, up-to-date and accurate?
- Harness the power of AI to search, sort and manage large data sets in significantly reduced timescales
2027 & BEYOND! THE FUTURE OF CX STRATEGIES
PANEL Q&A
16.50 Future-Proof Your Organisation With Powerful & Adaptable CX Approaches That Deliver Today & Are Ready For Tomorrow
- What does 2027, and beyond, hold for financial customer experience? How can institutions, both large and small, prepare for an uncertain future?
- Inform and steer future organisational change by promoting CX priorities and a company-wide customer centricity
- Assess the current state of tech developments, and what is coming down the pipeline, to keep pace with constant evolution in CX and cybersecurity
- Monitor customer behaviours and expectations, as well as political and economic considerations, for informed forecasts which remain adaptable to coming developments
Anu Bailey, Director of Customer Strategy, Leeds Building Society
Lebogang Tebeila-Moeng, Transformation & Technology Senior Project Manager, QBE Insurance
Bogdan Grigorescu, Senior Technical Lead, Engineering & Automation, Direct Line Group
17.20 Afternoon Chair’s Closing Remarks & Close Of Conference
Rebecca Drummond, Director, Real-Time Service Experience, LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)