Objective and Scope:

The client, a global investment firm, sought to evaluate a leading non-banking financial company’s (NBFC) brand equity, operational efficiency, credit approach, and competitive positioning, as part of its commercial diligence process for a potential investment. For this, it sought Benori’s support to:

• Assess the NBFC’s functional performance and brand equity, including perceptions around product fit, credit flexibility, turnaround times, payout structures, and the effectiveness of its tech infrastructure
• Benchmark the NBFC against peer lenders to understand their competitive edge, differentiators resonating in the market, and existing gaps or opportunities for improvement

Approach:

In-depth interviews were conducted across five metro cities, with key on-ground stakeholders, including direct selling agents (DSAs), the NBFC’s sales managers, and competitor bank/NBFC branch managers. The survey explored product experience, turnaround times, credit flexibility, tech adoption, and brand perception of the stakeholders. Also, NBFCs were compared to peers to interpret service efficiency, partner support, and overall market positioning. Insights were drawn from real case examples shared by respondents, offering a grounded view of day-to-day lending dynamics.

Impact:

Benori helped the client in the following areas: 

• Validated brand and operational performance through frontline feedback, offering a grounded view of the NBFC’s agility, credit flexibility, and service consistency as experienced by on-ground stakeholders across key metros
• Identified competitive gaps and differentiation levers, enabling the client to benchmark the company against peer NBFCs, assess retention risks, and uncover opportunities for process improvement and partner engagement