Launched two years ago, the Staff App is part of a broader digital transformation drive aimed at advancing microfinance in Africa. Designed for Client Relationship Officers, the application enable them to efficiently capture client data in the field during visits to clients’business locations. This reduces the need for multiple trips to the branch before a loan request is finalized. As a result, officers can respond more closely to client’s needs thanks to the agility and flexibility provided by the Staff App. As part of the growing ecosystem of international microfinance, this tool strengthens outreach to underserved communities.

Led by the group’s central function teams, this project represents a major technological milestone for Advans International. It brings financial services closer to entrepreneurs while improving the speed, reliability, and overall quality of client conversion. To better understand the challenges and behind-the-scenes work of this initiative, we spoke with Coralie Bazeck, Business Solutions Analyst Manager in the Transformation Department at Advans International.

What has your journey at Advans been like, and how did you get to your current role? 

I’ve been working at Advans International for eight years. I started as an intern and then progressed within the Human Resources department before moving into the Transformation team. There, I helped structure working methodologies and shared documentation across subsidiaries.

I also spent a year in Abidjan, where I implemented an operational risk management program and trained the teams at Advans Côte d’Ivoire.

After returning to France, I joined the Air+ program Advans’ group-wide digital transformation initiative where I led change management efforts (communication, training, and documentation) to support subsidiaries in adopting new tools and practices.

What does your role involve today?

As a Business Analyst, my main role is to act as a bridge between business teams and IT teams. I’m responsible for business processes related to prospecting and client acquisition, from initial requirements gathering through to solution deployment.

Concretely, my responsibilities include:

– Analyzing business needs

– Coordinating projects to ensure smooth execution

– Monitoring the development of digital solutions

– Assessing the impact of changes on existing processes

I work closely with IT teams, especially during development and integration phases, to ensure that implemented solutions effectively meet business needs and integrate seamlessly into the existing ecosystem.

Can you introduce the Staff App ? Which subsidiaries are using it today?

The Staff App is designed for field staff, particurlarly Client Relationship Officers and is currently in several countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Tunsia.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to join the program in 2027 and will, in turn, benefit from the full range offered by the application.

What needs does the app address ? Who are its users, and roughly how many employees are using it today? 

The Staff App was developed to meet the need digitize Client Relationship Officers’ day-to-day activities. It allows them to capture new client information directly in the field, eliminating paper-based notes and the need for manual re-entry when they return to the branch. Digitalizing client data from the outset also significantly reduces errors typically associated with handwritten notes and manual data re-entry.

The app is primarily intended for Client Relationship Officers and is accessible via mobile devices, making it easy to use when meeting clients on-site.

Today, a total of 1,759 employees across our African network are equipped with and use the app daily. The Staff App is connected to Advans’ core banking system, Amplitude, enabling automatic transmission of client data collected in the field -without data loss or risk of error—while ensuring data confidentiality.

Cybersecurity is a major challenge for any company deploying connected digital tools. How do you ensure data security for an application handling sensitive client information? 

Protecting client data is a top priority for this type of digital application. Several measures have been put in place to ensure security. First, a dedicated cybersecurity team continuously monitors the application. They regularly conduct security assessments, including penetration testing, to identify and address any potential vulnerabilities.

Second, access to the application is strictly controlled. Client Relationship Officers must authenticate themselves before using it, and this process is reinforced with multi-factor authentication, including via their Microsoft accounts. This ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

In terms of business solutions, what is the main project your department is working on ? Could you tell us few words about it? 

Our main focus today is on continuous improvement and enhancing existing tools.

The product roadmap is developed each year in collaboration with subsidiaries and relies heavily on feedback from field users. These inputs are then analyzed and prioritized based on two key criteria: business impact and technical complexity.

Among the next steps, we plan to roll out client creation and account opening features in Ghana, which were not available during the initial development phase.

At the same time, we are developing the Loan Express project, which aims to speed up loan disbursement through simplified analysis and the introduction of digital forms for field surveys.

To learn more about Advans’ digital initiatives and discover other key projects, take a deeper look at the Air+ program and digital transformation efforts at Advans Nigeria, as well as the new version of Adspire, our mobile banking app in Nigeria. These initiatives reflect Advans’ ongoing commitment to making microcredit in Africa more accessible, efficient, and innovative, while contributing to the broader landscape of SME financing in Africa.