Rebuilding trust in stalled financial services projects

If #trust isn’t automatic, how can #digital #financial #service #providers earn it? It starts by seeing #MSMEs not as “users to onboard” but as businesses navigating real risks, real trade-offs, and real constraints. And trust, in this context, is more about practice than promise. What does that look like in reality? It means spelling things out. Loan terms, costs, repayment schedules—without jargon or ambiguity. Many MSEs don’t lack the appetite for credit. What they lack is clarity on how it works, what it costs, and what to expect if they miss a payment. It means moving beyond default design. When products are shaped with digitally savvy consumers in mind, micro and small businesses often get left behind. But when design is tailored—voice prompts instead of only text, workflows that match business rhythms—trust begins to form. It also means addressing what we’d rather not talk about: collections. Stories of digital lenders scraping contacts or resorting to public shaming aren’t rare. Rebuilding credibility requires clear, fair, and humane collections practices. Not just for PR—but for people. Trust doesn’t grow from technology. It grows from consistency, respect, and a deep understanding of why MSMEs might be wary in the first place. And perhaps most of all, it grows when providers act less like gatekeepers, and more like partners. #MSMEFinance #SMEFinanceGap #AccessToFinance #DigitalFinance #FinancialInclusion #SubSaharanAfrica #InformalEconomy #DevelopmentFinance #InclusiveFinance #FutureOfFinance #SubjectMatterExpert #PersonalDevelopment

I've managed countless projects, but this one thing determines success every time: → Stakeholder alignment. A client recently came to me with a compliance project that had stalled. There were multiple workstreams, competing priorities, and technical challenges. They wanted to meet FSA deadlines without disrupting operations. Business and tech teams had interpreted requirements differently Many differing opinions. How did we resolve this? • Set clear decision-making and accountability frameworks. • Established regular communication with decision-makers. • Created methods for tracking progress toward FSA objectives. Alignment isn't just about agreeing—it's about building shared understanding and ownership. It doesn’t matter if your project is over budget, late, or out of scope; How you manage stakeholder expectations is what matters. Proactively, not reactively. What's your experience? #ProjectManagement #FinTech #BankingTransformation #StakeholderManagement

Your PMO has lost stakeholder trust. Projects are delayed, teams are frustrated, and leadership questions your value. Can you turn it around? Absolutely. Trust isn’t lost overnight, and it won’t be rebuilt overnight either. But the right actions can make a difference fast. Here’s how I’ve done it: 1️⃣ 𝗕𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 – Share clear, real-time data on project status, risks, and decisions. No surprises. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 – Overly complex processes frustrate stakeholders. Streamline approvals and focus on outcomes, not red tape. 3️⃣ 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 – Show how the PMO drives business value with metrics that matter (ROI, efficiency gains, risk mitigation). 4️⃣ 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 – Engage stakeholders regularly. Understand their frustrations and adjust processes accordingly. A PMO that delivers 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 earns back trust. Fast. Have you ever had to rebuild trust in your PMO? What worked for you? --- 💡 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘗𝘔𝘖𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢-𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵!