Project description : Volksbanken Münster

Vereinigte Volksbank Münster eG

Balance sum: around € 2 billions

Branches: 30

Employees: 492

Customers: 121.900

Vereinigte Volksbank Münster was created in 2014 through the merger of the financial institutions “Vereinigte Volksbank eG, Telgte” and “Volksbank Münster eG”. The aim of the new bank is to offer customers the best possible service and individually tailored financial products. As a cooperative credit institution, Vereinigte Volksbank Münster assumes social responsibility towards employees and the entire region. Vereinigte Volksbank Münster sponsors local sports and regional events and promotes regional culture. All activities are shaped by the guiding principles of Vereinigte Volksbank Münster: “With our customers to success”.

Starting point:

The objectives of the procurement cost optimization project were to identify and implement savings potential and to reduce and simplify processes by bundling suppliers/requirements. In total, all material expenses were analyzed, with a special focus on the topics of electricity purchasing, cleaning services, office supplies and cash transports.

Challenges in the project:

The challenge at the beginning of the project was the lack of evaluation systems, so that all data first had to be recorded with high effort. In addition, the local solidarity of Vereinigte Volksbank Münster and the bilateral relationship with some suppliers who are also customers had to be taken into account in all issues. External service providers from the Volksbank network with equally cooperative structures represented additional restrictions with regard to the possible suppliers.

Target achievement:

The monetary project goal was achieved at the end of the project. Significant savings were achieved and secured in the long term, particularly in the areas of electricity and cleaning services. Since in both topics the requirements were bundled on an already known actual service provider, there was no change-over risk or expense. The bundling of suppliers in other areas also led to simplified processes with reduced costs.

Conclusion:

Although there was general skepticism at the start of the project at the Vereinigte Volksbank Münster about the accessibility of the forecast potentials, a constructive and trusting cooperation could be quickly created through a transparent working method and the intensive involvement of the employees from the individual specialist departments. This ultimately led to the fulfillment of the project expectations.