Going Mobile-First? The Digital Transformation of Davivienda Bank in Colombia

Set in 2017, this case describes the digital transformation strategy of Davivienda— a leading player in Colombia’s commercial banking and one of the companies belonging to Grupo Bolívar, a major Colombian financial conglomerate. The case also describes the pioneer role played by Davivienda in Colombia during its digital transformation journey, as well as the challenges faced by the company to tailor its products and services to suit cell phone features, with its mobile solution serving as its home (mobile-first approach). Yet, this approach raised some questions, as it went against banking trends at the time, which considered internet banking (websites) and mobile banking (apps) as alternative channels to interact with customers, while branches were still regarded as the preferred banking channel for customers. Dealing with this concern, Miguel Cortés, Executive Chairman and CEO of Grupo Bolívar, and Javier Suarez, a member of Davivienda’s Board, would soon meet with Davivienda’s leadership to discuss the organizational changes and resource allocations required if the bank’s Board decided to support the mobile-first strategy. Were the bank's cultural, managerial, and structural aspects prepared for a mobile-first approach? How would the new approach impact the bank's traditional offerings? What was the role of the existing sales force and branches in this transformation?