05/13/2025
In a volatile economic environment—marked by trade tensions, shifting regulations, and tightening capital—it’s natural for banks to approach major strategic shifts or capital-intensive initiatives with caution. But that doesn’t mean standing still. In fact, these moments offer an opportunity to step back, refocus, and strengthen the core of the business. One of the most effective tools for doing so? A business impact assessment (BIA).
At Sendero, we’ve found that a well-executed BIA can be a game-changer—not just for crisis readiness, but for uncovering operational blind spots, optimizing resources, and building long-term resilience.
The Hidden Weak Points Aren’t Where You Think
In most BIAs, attention naturally gravitates toward the most visible, “critical” systems—core banking platforms, payment processing, compliance systems. And while these areas are important, they’re often already hardened: redundant, backed up, and highly available.
Surprisingly, the real vulnerabilities often lie elsewhere.
We see points of failure in places no one expects—manual processes carried out by just one or two key employees, outdated workflows dependent on legacy systems, or third-party integrations (like Banking-as-a-Service models) that have scaled faster than the risk management processes supporting them.
These gaps may not seem urgent—until they are. A single absence, missed compliance window, or API outage can ripple into significant operational and financial impact.
Quantifying the Risk With a Business Impact Assessment
A valuable part of any BIA is scenario modeling. Consider this: What if a specific team, platform, or vendor were unavailable for five business days? What would be the downstream effect—on earnings, compliance, customer experience, or operational continuity?
These “what if” questions are not just theoretical. They force a candid look at resource allocation, cross-training, documentation practices, vendor dependencies, and risk appetite. They reveal where proactive investment—often modest in scope—can deliver significant protection and agility.
A Strategic Pause, Not a Stop
In today’s uncertain environment, banks don’t have to stop moving forward. They just have to move smarter.
BIAs offer a path to do exactly that. They help leaders reallocate resources effectively, prioritize risk mitigation efforts, and develop contingency plans based on real operational insight—not assumptions.
For banks re-evaluating large initiatives or navigating macroeconomic headwinds, a BIA is a low-risk, high-value way to enhance resilience while building a stronger foundation for the future.
At Sendero, we partner with financial institutions to lead thoughtful, insight-driven business impact assessments that go beyond compliance. We bring cross-functional expertise to uncover not only where risk exists—but where opportunities lie to strengthen operations, reallocate resources, and improve continuity across the business.
Especially in times like these, the most impactful strategic move may be looking inward.
