Most companies approach MarTech implementations as technology projects. They select a platform, integrate systems, train users, and declare success. But OP Pohjola, Finland’s largest financial services provider, took a fundamentally different approach. One that recognized their transformation would be cultural first, technological second.
In this episode of Data Driven Voices, host Emma Storbacka talked with Nina Rancken, Customer Engagement Lead at OP Pohjola, to explore a six-year journey that moved the organization from product-centric campaign marketing to AI-driven, customer-centric engagement across eight channels with 350 always-on next best actions.
In this blog, we summarize some of the key takeaways from the episode.
Culture over technology
When OP began evaluating their MarTech stack in 2019, they could have followed the standard playbook: select a vendor, define requirements, implement the system. Instead, they recognized something that many organizations miss until it’s too late.
“This is not a technology change, this is a cultural change,” Nina explains about their early realization. “And since we realized that that’s very important, we really started to work on that.“
This insight shaped their entire approach. Before even acquiring their new AI-based marketing automation system, they conducted extensive internal “roadshows” across all eight business lines. They involved stakeholders early in the procurement process itself, building buy-in and understanding from the start. The upfront investment in cultural change made both the technical and organizational transformation dramatically easier to execute.
Four strategic principles
OP’s transformation was guided by four long-term targets that challenged fundamental assumptions about how marketing operates:
- From push to pull: Moving away from product-centric, one-off campaigns towards customer-centric, always-on communications. As Nina describes it:
“We actually let the data, customer data, customer interaction data and the AI to decide what to market or communicate to each customer in each touch point.“
- Holistic view: Breaking down silos by looking at marketing and communication as a whole from both the company and customer perspective, rather than channel-specific or business-line-specific activities.
- Unified platform: Consolidating channel-specific systems onto one unified platform and data foundation to enable true omnichannel orchestration.
- AI-driven decisioning: Seeking an AI-powered platform for real-time decision-making which at the time was a forward-thinking vision for 2019, before the current AI hype cycle.
These principles required not just new technology, but new ways of thinking about the relationship between the organization and its customers.
Today’s reality?
Six years into the journey, the results are substantial. OP has integrated eight channels into their system: two inbound, four outbound, and two personal assisted channels that generate sales leads. They’ve implemented 350 always-on, omnichannel next best actions, with approximately 55% focused on sales.
For their customers, the transformation is visible in real-time. When opening OP’s mobile app, customers see messages and next best actions decided in real-time from a catalog of possibilities. The system uses PEGA CDH decisioning, which analyzes customer data, interaction data (like website visits or abandoned journeys), and the value of each action from OP’s perspective to predict propensity and prioritize the most relevant message.
The shift from campaign-centric to always-on marketing fundamentally changes how the marketing teams work. Instead of planning and executing campaigns, they’re curating libraries of next best actions and optimizing based on performance data.
Measuring the impact
The proof is in the performance. Nina describes the transformation in results:
“In the beginning, we really saw a major shift… the key KPIs were better.”
The organization tracks both engagement metrics like click-through rates in inbound channels and open rates for outbound communications and crucially, actual contract conversions. They can measure how many customers who interacted with a message bought a product within two months, providing a complete view of the sales funnel.
Beyond the numbers, the system creates organizational alignment. Business lines are happy because the platform forces them to think about the company and customer’s point of view, not just their own agenda. Governance forums help manage competing priorities, with mechanisms like temporary “boosts” to prioritize certain actions when needed.
Lessons learned
Three years into implementation across eight channels, OP reached what Nina calls a “1.0 situation”, the technical implementation was largely complete. But that’s when the real work began.
One of the most important lessons:
“You need to maintain your executive sponsor. And then also the business responsibility needs to be very clear. So pay attention to that and have a constant discussion and communication with the management.“
After the ramp-up phase, organizations need to revisit and redefine their targets and goals. The skills and leadership needed for implementation differ from those required to get maximum value from the system. Many teams are exhausted after implementation and treat it as the finish line, when it’s actually just the beginning of value creation.
OP established two governance forums to manage the ongoing work: a Strategic Governance Forum with business leads holding commercial responsibility, and an Operative Governance Forum with team leads. These structures ensure cooperation across business lines for aligning decisions and sharing knowledge.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Nina is excited about the possibilities:
“I’m excited to see that where the AI is kind of taking us and how we are able to utilize that and combine the AI and the human kind of thing together.“
Future goals include expanding the next best action library beyond sales to include more nurture and customer service content, developing a stronger optimization culture to constantly evaluate and update messages, and moving toward more individual and personal communications incorporating personal data and data-driven triggers.
The challenge will be organizational: managing a massive, personalized library of next best actions may create a feeling of losing control over the sheer volume of content, with decisioning increasingly driven by data rather than human planning. But with OP’s cultural foundation and governance structures, they’re well-positioned to navigate this evolution.
Key takeaways from the MarTech transformation
OP’s journey offers critical learnings for any organization undertaking a similar transformation:
- Recognize that MarTech transformation is primarily cultural, not technological
- Invest in stakeholder engagement and buy-in before, not after, technology selection
- Establish clear strategic principles that challenge fundamental assumptions
- Build governance structures that enable cross-functional cooperation
- Maintain executive sponsorship and business ownership throughout the journey
- Treat implementation completion as the beginning, not the end
- Revisit goals and targets after the ramp-up phase to maximize value
For organizations still operating in campaign mode, OP’s transformation demonstrates what’s possible when you’re willing to fundamentally rethink how marketing operates, and put change management and people first.
Inspiration for marketing, sales, and data professionals
Data Driven Voices is a podcast where Avaus together with industry experts, thought leaders, and partners discuss how to harness data, technology, and strategy to drive meaningful change and business results in primarily marketing and sales. The podcast shares actionable insights, success stories, and thought-provoking challenges to help professionals with new perspectives.