The financial services industry is undergoing significant change. While there’s real opportunity for growth and innovation, firms also face tough challenges, like disconnected data systems, the complexities of adopting AI effectively, and increasing pressure to retain customers.
As 2025 wraps up, one thing is becoming clear: outdated technology and fragmented data strategies are making it harder for institutions to move forward with confidence.
Why Data and Legacy Systems Are Holding Firms Back
Financial institutions handle a tremendous amount of client data, but it’s often spread across multiple systems that don’t talk to each other. Advisors and relationship managers can end up spending more time piecing together information than working with clients.
This kind of fragmentation slows down operations and makes it harder to see the full picture when making decisions.
At the same time, many firms are finding it difficult to modernize their technology. Legacy systems may have served their purpose in the past, but they weren’t built for the speed, personalization, or regulatory demands of today’s environment.
The results are delays, inefficiencies, and a growing risk of losing clients to competitors who are quicker to adapt.
Current Events: Data, AI, and the Customer Retention Gap
A Tableau and Forrester report points to a widening gap between organizations’ enthusiasm for artificial intelligence and their ability to implement it effectively.
The reality is clear: while many financial institutions express interest in AI-powered insights, far fewer are deploying these tools at scale. The gap between AI interest and AI implementation is costing firms both efficiency and loyalty. At the same time, customer expectations are rising. Clients are looking for proactive, personalized financial guidance, and if they don’t find it, they’re willing to switch providers.
The FSC Advantage
This is where FSC (Financial Services Cloud) breaks down barriers. By offering a unified data strategy, FSC enables financial institutions to eliminate silos and create a single, reliable source of truth across the organization.
Advisors gain the clarity they need to make faster, smarter decisions, while clients benefit from more consistent and personalized engagement.
Salesforce’s AI-powered cloud solutions are projected to generate nearly $948 billion in new revenue for customers by 2028, highlighting the growing impact of modern financial technology. With 1.4 billion financial accounts already powered by Financial Services Cloud, institutions are clearly shifting toward platforms that offer scale, intelligence, and efficiency.
By centralizing data and embedding AI into everyday workflows, FSC helps firms operate more effectively, deliver personalized experiences, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
Is Your Technology Ready for What’s Ahead?
The challenges facing financial institutions won’t disappear on their own. Data silos, outdated systems, and stalled AI adoption are real barriers to growth, but they are not insurmountable. By embracing a modern, unified approach, firms can transform these obstacles into opportunities.
Now is the time for financial leaders to take a hard look at their technology stacks and ask:
• Are our data strategies enabling growth or limiting it?
• Are we truly leveraging AI to enhance client engagement, or simply talking about it?
• Are we delivering the seamless, personalized experiences today’s clients expect?
Firms that can confidently answer “yes” to these questions will stand apart in the years ahead. Those that can’t risk falling further behind.
Ready to Modernize? FSC Can Help You Get There
This series has explored the forces reshaping financial services: the demand for digital-first engagement, the generational transfer of wealth, and the barriers that hold many institutions back.
The common thread across all three challenges is clear: firms that embrace modernization and client-centric strategies will be positioned to lead, while those that hesitate risk falling behind.
FSC is built to help institutions adapt with tools that unify data, enable personalization at scale, and empower firms to connect with the next generation of investors.
To take the next step, explore our latest guide, or connect with Perficient to learn how FSC can accelerate your transformation journey.
