From fragmented to future-ready: how a major South African bank saved over R500m in IT costs

10 April, 2026

The challenge

Managing IT services across a large banking environment is complex. Before partnering with Altron Digital Business, this bank was running two separate managed services providers across its campus and retail environments. That meant duplicated service management, two service desks, and parallel field support teams – all operating in silos. Costs were rising in line with inflation, and the bank had no clear line of sight to better service quality or operational efficiency.

They needed a single, trusted partner who could consolidate services, reduce costs, and build toward a smarter, more proactive IT operation over time.

The journey

We didn't just take over a contract. We built a three-phase transformation journey alongside the bank.

Phase 1: Consolidation: service take-on

The first step was bringing everything together. We unified the bank's campus and retail environments under a single service management structure – one service desk, one field support team, and a single field service coordination function. By eliminating duplication and simplifying the operating model, the bank saw an immediate 4% reduction on the baseline cost.

Phase 2: Optimisation: stabilisation and service improvement

With a stable foundation in place, our team focused on making the service smarter. We deployed Remote Monitoring and Management capabilities, introduced Digital Experience Management to give the bank real-time visibility into how employees experienced their technology, and opened Walk-In Centres to give end users a more personal support option. These changes moved the service from reactive to proactive – and delivered a further 4.5% reduction on the baseline cost.

Phase 3: Transformation: automation and AI

In the current phase, we’re introducing smart remote remediation, automated interventions, and AI/ML-led operational insights. Many issues are now resolved before users even notice them. This phase is targeting an additional 5% reduction on the optimised baseline.

The results

43% reduction in real costs
By 2025, the bank's managed services spend had dropped by 43% in real terms compared to what it would have cost had budgets simply tracked CPI inflation – a substantial multi-year saving delivered through disciplined, phased optimisation.

SLA compliance that's nearly flawless
Incident resolution SLA compliance improved from 89% to 99.5% – giving the bank the confidence that issues are being resolved when they're supposed to be, every time.

Fewer incidents, faster resolution
Monthly incident volumes dropped from over 19 000 to 8 900, and service requests fell from over 10 000 to 6 900 per month. When issues do occur, First Call Resolution improved from 42% to 62.5% – meaning fewer repeat contacts and faster outcomes for employees.

Employees who notice the difference
Customer satisfaction rose from 87% to 96%, and the service desk now answers 94% of calls within 30 seconds. The Digital Experience Index score – a real-time measure of how employees experience their technology – climbed from 59 to 79, reflecting a workplace that's measurably more productive and less disrupted.