Bristol and West staff can earn commission for sales of their products.
But the calculation is not simple. There is a range of products, each with their own level of commission and type of calculation, and the information that the calculations are based on comes from a number of different source systems: some inside Bristol and West, and some is imported from partners who provide the products. Bristol and West has Life and Pension products, ISAs and Unit trusts
Add to that bonuses based on individual targets and team targets, and you have one complex commission calculation.
Much of the calculation was being carried out using spreadsheets, and Spark were asked to look at automating the process.
The first task was to map out the process, where the information comes from, how it was downloaded and what stages the calculation passed through.
The next was to write a detailed specification for a computer application that would be able to run the calculations automatically, and keep a full audit trail.
The new application was developed from the specification, and implemented as the new live system. The system succeed in greatly increasing the speed and accuracy of the calculations, whilst reducing the manpower needed.