2024 was a tough year for the equipment finance industry, with a challenging rate environment and broader economic uncertainty affecting demand. This article explores the outlook for the year ahead, and the role technology can play to help drive resilience and growth.

A gentle reduction of rates through the second half of 2024 was welcomed by the industry, increasing demand from historic lows and boosting overall confidence. Although further rate cuts are possible in 2025, a cautious approach is anticipated—despite potential pressure from the incoming administration for more aggressive reductions.

While further rate cuts, cooling inflation, and the new administration could stimulate demand, the recent economic turbulence has highlighted the need for increased investment in risk and fraud management. Well publicized advancements in AI and other data-based tools can be employed to support increased demand, while adhering to established risk policies. 

Much of 2024 was spent assessing the impact of regulatory change, such as the CFPB’s Section 1071 rule. While some believe the new administration may change course, providers must remain prepared to implement and comply with this regulation.

From a technology perspective, the collection of key data—and the standardization of reporting over it—offers benefits beyond regulatory compliance. Companies capable of real-time reporting on a wealth of portfolio data stand to gain significantly, by feeding that data into increasingly sophisticated risk models, and identifying emerging trends early to support changes in strategic direction. 

Similarly, given expectations of lighter regulation from the incoming administration, the development of AI tools is poised to accelerate. However, this shouldn’t diminish the importance of the key guardrails lenders should look to implement alongside AI; explainability, traceability and control not only provide operational benefits but also establish a core foundation for future, unforeseen regulatory changes.

Climate financing incorporates a range of financial instruments and mechanisms aimed at supporting climate action. This includes public and private finance, green bonds, carbon markets, and impact investing. 

Recent years have seen a welcome environment for climate financing, driven by growing awareness, policy support and investor demand, but uncertainty looms as the incoming administration is expected to reduce support for climate projects. That could mean lower funding for research and development and infrastructure projects, increased risk for private investors, and hindered long-term planning for businesses.

Despite this, climate financing may be buoyed by wider global and corporate sentiment, driven by end customers. Flexibility is the most important aspect of this shifting landscape, particularly the ability to accurately reflect government programs that affect the underlying financials of a deal.

The trajectory of software and other services to complement hard assets is expected to persist into 2025, driven by developments in remote telemetry technology and an economic incentive to increase recurring revenue amongst existing customers.

Customer adoption and retention are driven both by the value of the asset and the onboarding and billing experience. Being able to offer customers a simple onboarding experience through customer portals is an important key to adoption, with back-end processes streamlined through APIs to ensure scalability without increased costs. 

Similarly, a seamless billing process should be in place, allowing customers with assets on finance to see and pay their subscription fees alongside their core financing amounts due. For customers without assets on finance, the ability to bill and account seamlessly for subscription services opens up a wider market.

Investment in technology is often linked with high, inflexible costs which can stifle innovation. This caution may be especially heightened during periods of economic uncertainty, such as those experienced in 2024.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms have become increasingly prevalent as a lever for organizations to invest in new technologies, without having to take on the risks and costs associated with managing new applications, and allowing their operational expenditure to scale in line with growth.

SaaS’s momentum is expected to continue in 2025, providing more flexibility and simplification for technology projects, and lowering the barriers to entry.

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of flexible product offerings, such as Pay-per-Use. Although the cooling inflation and improving rate environment may temper demand for innovative products, the overall requirement for more flexibility around financial commitments remains, especially after periods of economic uncertainty.

Additionally, an omnipresent requirement is expected to continue into 2025: the need for compelling and streamlined digital experiences. Within the equipment finance industry, this can enable operational scalability, especially for small- to medium-ticket lenders, allowing their customers to self-serve and reduce operational costs. Similarly, enabling efficient and clear digital experiences for vendors can benefit both parties by maximizing originations, allowing both parties to reap the rewards.

Alfa Systems 6, the latest flagship version of Alfa Systems, introduces a host of features and innovations designed to bring heightened productivity to equipment finance providers, opening up new revenue streams and elevating the customer experience. 

Alfa Systems 6 is built on six pillars, introduced via a series of software releases rolled out over the past year: 

Efficiency presents Compose: superpersonalized screen design.

Total Capability introduces Total Originations, an advanced originations product.

Sustainability offers powerful new capabilities for providers to support sustainability products and changing business models.

Scalability presents leading-edge functionality designed for providers looking to scale their business with flexibility and speed.

Intelligent Automation creates efficiency gains through automated decision-making, including Alfa’s gen-AI chatbot built in-house, AskThea.

Collaborative Ecosystem allows customers to source and integrate with new technologies painlessly, creating their own customized, end-to-end solutions.

The six pillars of Alfa Systems 6 are driven by common requirements of influential operators in the US equipment finance space. By combining Alfa’s deep understanding of market requirements with our highly configurable, single-product strategy, our customers are perfectly placed to navigate challenges and opportunities effectively, and drive sustainable growth.

Already being implemented with customers, Alfa Systems 6 is now available to finance companies globally, offering a comprehensive solution to meet the evolving needs of the asset and automotive finance industries.

Alfa Systems 6, Fully Realized: A breakthrough iteration of our SaaS platform.

Equipment Finance in 2025: 6 Themes, and Technology's Role

We are delighted to announce a key milestone in Alfa's journey – we have officially grown to 500 colleagues around the world! 

Alfa has announced a key milestone in its journey having officially grown to 500 colleagues around the world

Alfa has officially grown to 500 colleagues around the world

This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication and passion each one of our global team brings. From the start, Alfa has been committed to building something special together, and now at 500 strong, there is more energy than ever to continue driving success, innovation and collaboration all around the world.

This has been a great opportunity to reflect on the history of Alfa and to highlight some key moments from over the years.

Founded in 1990 as CHP Consulting, the company's first 20 years in the industry established Alfa Systems as the premier choice for auto and equipment finance providers across the globe. We went live with our first customer in 1992. 

In 1995 Alfa Systems v3 was released, and in 1998 we welcomed the first of many graduate intakes. 

In 2001 we reached another milestone, hitting 500,000 contracts with a single client. We then hit 100 employees at Alfa in 2003. 

2003 saw the release of Alfa Systems v4. The following year we welcomed our first client in Asia-Pacific, and opened our Sydney office. 

It was in 2007 that we opened our office in the US. In 2008 our first Community was formed for 'CSR' - now known better as ESG. The first of many wonderful Alfa Communities, all of which we are proud of. 

2009 saw the release of Alfa Systems v5. In 2010 we went live with our first US customer. The next milestone of 200 employees was reached in 2011. 

In 2016, we saw 1 million contracts with a single customer. This was also the year we rebranded to 'Alfa'. 

2017 was the year our Alfa Cloud service went live, and we also listed on the London Stock Exchange. 

Then we hit the 2020s with the launch of Alfa Start and navigated the challenging 'Covid years' pretty successfully - the start of Smart Working and focusing on how we retain our special and award-winning culture. 

This year we welcomed our 100th colleague in Alfa US and the launch of Alfa Systems 6.

So what does this milestone mean to all of us at Alfa? 

A stronger, more diverse team: With 500 brilliant minds, our ability to innovate and grow has never been greater. 

Expanded global collaboration: Our network of colleagues, working across multiple time zones and regions, allows us to stay connected and serve our customers better than ever. 

Endless possibilities: As we continue to grow, so do the opportunities for everyone at Alfa to develop, share ideas, and make an even bigger impact together.

Find out more about Alfa and what sets us apart.

Alfa hits 500! A key milestone in its journey

We are very proud to be winners of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Trailblazer Award at the 2024 LeasingWorld Gold Awards.

Alfa is proud to be winners of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion EDI Trailblazer Award at the 2024 Leasing World Gold Awards.

Alfa wins Leasing World Gold Award in EDI Trailblazer category

This award celebrates how our outstanding commitment to promoting and delivering EDI has made a significant difference in the workplace, and how our achievements have led to positive change.

With such an eclectic mix of talented colleagues at Alfa, all coming from different places and with unique stories, our work around inclusion and diversity ensures we embrace our differences, integrate with one another, and feel safe to express ourselves - so that we don’t experience discrimination. 

Diverse cultural perspectives really do inspire innovation and creativity at Alfa. We solve problems and make things better together, and recognizing others' identities makes our people feel valued. 

Alfa’s Inclusion & Diversity Charter shows our commitment to promoting equal opportunities and creating an environment where everyone can feel respected and able to contribute fully.

We are passionate about providing an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.

All our employees should be able to bring their best and most true selves to work.

‘You should be yourself.....we like it that way!’.

Each employee has a unique contribution to make to Alfa.

Champion inclusion, diversity and belonging across the whole company.

Respect, celebrate and draw on each other's different perspectives, skills, knowledge and backgrounds.

Educate ourselves and each other on issues around inclusion and diversity.

Be accountable and use our corporate voice to lead positive change in our wider communities.

Drive change by embracing difficult or uncomfortable conversations.

Expect leaders at all levels to actively promote a culture of inclusion. 

Increase the diversity of Alfa through inclusive recruitment.

Enforce a zero-tolerance attitude to racism, bullying and harassment.

As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, we want to better understand the diverse make-up of Alfa and get an understanding of how valued our colleagues feel at work. We also want to understand what we can do to improve representation of diverse groups and know where to focus our DEI efforts. As part of this, in 2023, Alfa launched our first-ever and now annual DEI employee survey, seeking feedback from colleagues on how we’re doing and crowd-sourcing suggestions for areas to work on.

Our culture remains one of the things we are most proud of at Alfa. We foster global connections, work on communicating and knowledge-sharing wherever we can, and enjoy learning and networking at a host of social talks and events.

We call our Employee Resource Groups ‘Communities’ and we have eight of these vibrant affinity groups, which lead the way in raising awareness, educating colleagues, supporting each other and making a positive impact on life at Alfa. Alfa Communities are people-powered - full of passion and energy!

Diversity, equity and inclusion is core to Alfa’s success and we are continually developing to create an environment where everyone can feel respected, is able to contribute fully and bring their true selves to work. 

Read more about Alfa’s Social Impact, Inclusion and Diversity and our Communities.

Alfa wins LeasingWorld Gold Awards EDI Trailblazer

Alfa has announced a new strategic partnership with [gaidnts], an IT consultancy start-up founded by EGC EuroGroup Consulting.

Alfa announces new strategic partnership with [gaidnts]

Alfa is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with [gaidnts] (“Guidance”), an IT consultancy start-up founded by EGC EuroGroup Consulting.

Serving as a crucial link between business, IT and software providers, the [gaidnts] mission is to modernise and harmonise IT systems and business processes for global asset finance and leasing organisations. As part of Nextcontinent, an international network of independent consulting firms, [gaidnts] delivers exceptional results by combining local knowledge with global insights.

“We are excited to partner with Alfa and bring our combined strengths to the market. Our shared vision of innovation and efficiency will greatly benefit our clients in the asset finance sector.”

“Alfa has a proven track record in the asset finance software industry. This collaboration represents a significant opportunity to drive meaningful change and help businesses navigate the complexities of IT transformation.”

“We were impressed by the market expertise shown by [gaidnts] and EGC in the DACH region, especially in the German automotive finance industry. Their deep understanding of the sector, coupled with Alfa’s technology solutions, will open up new opportunities.”

The partnership marks a significant step in Alfa’s mission to provide highly efficient SaaS solutions for the largest and most progressive asset finance operations.

[gaidnts], a newly established business IT consultancy under EGC Eurogroup Consulting AG, is making strides in the financial services sector by delivering exceptional value to clients. Despite its recent founding, [gaidnts] has quickly earned the trust of industry leaders and top IT providers across Europe, thanks to its deep expertise.

The agile team at [gaidnts] consists of top-tier experts committed to providing innovative solutions that drive business growth, enhance client services, and improve profitability. They see asset finance and leasing solutions as critical for enabling greater agility and competitiveness in today’s market.

[gaidnts] identified a key gap in IT solution implementation—the need for specialists who can bridge the divide between business and IT. By aligning these domains and leveraging its industry knowledge, [gaidnts] fills this critical role, becoming the “fifth element” in clients' digital transformation.

With a service portfolio designed to support every phase of digital transformation, [gaidnts] ensures projects are well-prepared, efficiently implemented, and ultimately successful, guiding clients toward sustainable growth.

Alfa forms strategic partnership in Germany to enhance technology solutions for asset finance and leasing

Alfa has announced the full release of Alfa Systems 6, accompanied by a graphic novel.

Alfa launches Alfa Systems 6, setting new standards in asset finance technology

Alfa Systems 6 - now fully realised

Alfa proudly presents the full release of Alfa Systems 6.

Alfa Systems 6 introduces a host of features and innovations designed to bring heightened productivity to providers, opening up new revenue streams, and elevating the customer experience. Announced in 2023, it is built on six pillars, introduced via a series of software releases rolled out over the past year:

"We’re thrilled to announce the full release of Alfa Systems 6. This new major version represents the cutting-edge technology and architectural choices that set us apart from our competitors, and underscores our commitment to delivering unparalleled value to our customers. And with its focus on innovation - particularly with AskThea and Compose - Alfa Systems 6 empowers finance companies to navigate challenges and opportunities effectively, driving sustainable growth."

Find out more in Alfa’s graphic novel, The Six Pillars of Alfa Systems 6, created to mark the launch.

Alfa’s graphic novel, The Six Pillars of Alfa Systems 6, created to mark the launch.

Catch Alfa at all the major events this fall, including Auto Finance Summit, the ELFA Convention, and AFSA.

Alfa has announced the release of Collaborative Ecosystem, the sixth of six pillars in Alfa Systems 6, a breakthrough iteration of its SaaS platform.

Collaborative Ecosystem in Alfa Systems 6 allows customers to tap into Alfa’s expertise and best practices to source and integrate with new technologies, creating customised, end-to-end solutions - painlessly.

Collaborative Ecosystem in Alfa Systems 6

"With Alfa Systems 6, our focus remains on delivering cutting-edge technology capabilities to our customers. Its rich configuration options and extensible APIs enable the creation of innovative, tailored solutions that adapt easily to tomorrow’s demands.

"Collaborative Ecosystem not only makes it easy to access new technologies through our robust API framework and state-of-the-art data transfer technologies, but also harnesses our network of consultants and technical experts to provide unparalleled support and insights. And we’re here to guide you every step of the way.”

Key features of Collaborative Ecosystem include:

An extensible suite of modern APIs, supporting integration use cases that cover the end-to-end lifecycle of an asset finance contract. Alfa Systems 6’s powerful workflow, webhooks and business rules enable you to orchestrate your entire ecosystem. Easily implement and manage integrations directly from Alfa Systems 6 through configuration, eliminating the need for vendor development.

Data Pipeline, providing change data capture (CDC) event streams for rapid, real-time data transfer. Using Apache Kafka, the industry standard for real-time streaming data pipelines, CDC enables efficient connectivity of Alfa Systems 6’s rich operational reporting data to downstream data and BI platforms.

Seamless access to the AWS ecosystem through Alfa Cloud. Benefit from state-of-the-art technology tools, such as those used to build Alfa’s AI assistant, AskThea. Securely integrate these tools into your ecosystem to drive innovation and efficiency.

To find out more about how Alfa Systems 6 can transform your business, open up new revenue streams, and bring heightened productivity to your operation, visit alfasystems.com/6.

Simple integration with market innovations and through Alfa’s trusted partner network.

Founded on six pillars, Alfa Systems 6 helps asset finance providers tackle the significant challenges they face, and seize the lucrative opportunities that lie waiting. It is delivered in a series of six releases that culminate in its full launch later in 2024:

Efficiency, the first release in Alfa Systems 6, presented Compose: superpersonalised screen design.

Total Capability, the second release, introduced Total Originations, an advanced originations product.

Sustainability offers powerful new capabilities for providers driven by sustainability and changing business models.

Intelligent Automation harnesses cutting-edge cognitive technologies to empower our customers to create efficiency gains through automated decision-making tools.

To find out more about how Alfa Systems 6 can transform your business, open up new revenue streams, and bring heightened productivity to your operation, visit alfasystems.com/6. Alfa Systems 6 is frictionless for existing customers.

Alfa will be launching Alfa Systems 6 in full in the coming months. Catch them at all the major events, including the Auto Finance Summit, the ELFA Convention, and AFSA.

Alfa reveals 'Collaborative Ecosystem', the final pillar in Alfa Systems 6

In the world of asset financing, the drive to scale up business can come into tension with obligations to drive down emissions. New innovations mean that scalability and sustainability needn’t be mutually exclusive.

In the world of asset financing, new innovations mean that scalability and sustainability needn’t be mutually exclusive.

Asset finance companies combine sustainability and scalability through innovation

Straddling competing demands is part of the day job in asset finance. 

Recent years have seen businesses dodge unprecedented economic challenges while exploiting the benefits on offer from ever-more powerful automation tools and techniques. Reliance on ready supplies of capital offered by asset finance solutions has been an indispensable safety net against a backdrop of instability.

But there is a bigger shift afoot with more wide-ranging implications: the drive towards sustainability. It means firms must completely rethink how they approach major commercial objectives. Regulatory pressure, for example the comprehensive frameworks required under Scope 3 reporting, is seemingly in tension with decision makers’ desire to strike while the iron is hot, scaling up without sacrificing efficiency. 

Thankfully, the asset financing safety net is as robust as ever; new innovations in the field are helping firms to foster sustainability and scalability harmoniously.

“Scalability” has the trappings of a corporate buzzword, but beneath it lies an important truth: scaling up operations allows firms to optimize resource expenditure, onboard new business effortlessly and expand into new markets more efficiently. A number of advancements in recent years have helped to make scaling up easier than ever.

Modern cloud solutions have already revolutionized the way finance providers manage their resources. Adaptable models, such as those offered by cloud-native platforms, allow for automated deployments and serverless databases. This means that firms can scale their operations up or down based on demand – ensuring they only incur costs when necessary. This flexibility is vital for maintaining operational efficiency and reducing capital expenditure.

Historically, one of the significant challenges for finance providers was integrating new portfolios, whether through acquisition or organic growth. Advanced tooling and automated processes now make it possible to transfer portfolios onto new systems quickly and painlessly. This reduces downtime and ensures transitions are smooth, allowing firms to focus on their core business activities.

Scaling up is even trickier when foreign markets are part of the equation; it requires robust and flexible systems capable of adapting to unfamiliar regulations and business practices. Modern finance platforms offer advanced configuration management and business rules that enable providers to roll out operations in new regions swiftly. These platforms support multi-country deployments, accommodating varying regulatory requirements and operational processes with ease.

Additionally, the arrival of 24/7 capabilities enables finance providers to operate around the clock without downtime. This ensures that any digital self-service operations are always available, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency. Portfolios can progress smoothly to the next day, ensuring uninterrupted service.

One of the major developments in asset financing technology has been the emergence of cloud-native solutions providing dynamic database autoscaling. This eliminates the need for planned database upgrades and allows for real-time scaling based on demand. This is particularly beneficial during peak times or when onboarding large volumes of new business. The shift from fixed-cost structures to variable operational expenditure models also enables firms to manage costs more effectively.

Scalability, however, is just one part of the equation in today’s asset finance landscape. Sustainability has become a parallel priority. Regulatory frameworks like net-zero commitments and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) mandates are pushing companies to adopt greener practices. The challenge lies in expanding business operations without exacerbating environmental impact. And the most innovative finance platforms are increasingly capable of striking this balance.

Designed to manage the entire lifecycle of assets – from origination to end-of-life – modern finance solutions offer oversight that can rapidly enhance sustainability. With many companies shifting from traditional lease-and-sell models to more sustainable practices that maximize the use of existing assets – involving maintaining, refurbishing, or recycling equipment to extend its lifespan – advanced inventory management systems ensure that assets can be recycled and reused efficiently.

Another business phenomenon that asset finance platforms must address is the rise of subscription services and Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) models. These can align with sustainability goals, enabling companies to offer assets on a usage basis and reducing the need for outright ownership – mitigating the associated environmental impact.

Finance platforms are also playing a pivotal role in supporting the shift towards green energy. By increasing the flow of finance to on-site renewable energy generation, companies can reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. For instance, manufacturers can lease solar panels or wind turbines and benefit from add-on services like insurance and maintenance. These arrangements both reduce a business’s carbon footprint and provide financial flexibility through usage-based billing.

Consider the more specific example of electric vehicles (EVs).  These are a cornerstone of sustainable transportation – and one finance platforms are evolving to support. Advanced systems can handle complex EV portfolios, providing multi-asset schedules, asset-level financials and usage-based billing. This capability is crucial for customers leasing the many complex components that go into development and maintenance of EV fleets, such as vehicles, batteries, and chargers, and eases subscription to additional services like GPS monitoring and energy management.

Finally, there is little doubt that the road to sustainability is fraught with regulatory and market challenges. Regulations like the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) require finance providers to ensure their platforms are compliant with ever-growing, ever-evolving ESG standards. Innovative finance solutions, with their robust governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) processes, can help here too: they provide the necessary infrastructure to help businesses meet requirements confidently.

So what do these innovative finance solutions look like in practice? Consider Alfa Systems 6. The latest iteration of Alfa’s market-leading asset financing platform, Alfa Systems 6 is a case study in how technology can help to bring scalability and sustainability together.

One of the core strengths of Alfa Systems 6 is its dynamic resource optimization. Utilising cloud-native technologies, the platform provides adaptable resource models with automated deployments and serverless databases, ensuring that resources are used efficiently. This both reduces costs and shrinks firms’ environmental footprints. And integration with AWS Aurora’s serverless technologies allows for real-time scaling based on demand, ensuring optimal performance during peak times and eliminating the need for regimented database upgrades – ideal for finance providers onboarding substantial new portfolios.

Seamless portfolio onboarding is another significant advantage of Alfa Systems 6. Advanced tooling and automated processes facilitate the quick and painless transfer of portfolios onto the platform, reducing downtime and ensuring a smooth transition. This capability allows finance providers to integrate new business seamlessly and continue their growth trajectory without disruption. And the platform’s always-on capabilities ensures that digital self-service operations are always available, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Although geared towards business growth, sustainability sits at the platform’s heart. It enables oversight of the entire lifecycle of assets, from origination to end-of-life. This includes inventory management for reuse, short-term second and third lives for equipment, and streamlined refurbishment processes. By maximizing the use of existing assets, finance providers can reduce waste and promote a circular economy. Alfa Systems 6 also supports subscription models, enabling companies to offer assets on a usage basis and supporting the transition from capital expenditure (CapEx) to operational expenditure (OpEx). When it comes to financing for on-site renewable energy generation, new energy systems can easily be leased to facilitate the move towards sustainability. And decision makers in major green transition industries, like EVs, can manage entire fleets at the click of a button.

Alfa Systems 6 also includes a Scope 3 emissions calculator, allowing finance providers to track and report on GHG emissions for their portfolios. This functionality smooths the monitoring and reduction of carbon outputs. Additionally, the platform’s robust governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) processes, certified by ISO 27001 and SOC 2, ensure data security and regulatory compliance, providing transparency and reducing the complexities associated with regulatory requirements.

Just as they have done through years of economic uncertainty and geopolitical instability, innovative asset finance continues to provide a firm hand on the commercial tiller. Through continuous innovation and a commitment to environmental stewardship, Alfa Systems 6 exemplifies how technology-driven finance can propel business growth and sustainability forward together.

This article was published by Leasing Life in August 2024. Reproduced by permission of the publisher.

Leasing Life: How innovation helps asset finance companies combine sustainability and scalability

Systemized decision-making through AI and rules-based workflows

Alfa is proud to announce the launch of Intelligent Automation, the penultimate pillar of six that make up Alfa Systems 6 - a breakthrough iteration of the Alfa Systems software platform. 

#5 Intelligent Automation harnesses cutting-edge cognitive technologies, including predictive modeling, to empower customers to create efficiency gains through a variety of intelligent, automated decision-making tools.

"Asset finance providers are demanding more from their technology suppliers and departments, and full automation of basic processes is now a baseline expectation. By integrating cutting-edge AI and automating complex processes, with Intelligent Automation we are exceeding these expectations. Innovative tools like AskThea and Alfa Decisioning enable our customers to make smarter decisions, achieve exceptional efficiency, and stay ahead in a competitive, evolving market."

Equipping customers with solutions that provide real functionality and real value, Intelligent Automation is designed to:

Automate any and all of your processes: Alfa customers have the power to automate their processes to an extent that suits their business. Decision trees and nested rulesets, triggered by automated workflows, business rules, and APIs, allow a heuristics-driven intelligent experience at common customer touchpoints. 

Onboard and upskill people: AskThea, the conversational AI chatbot for Alfa Systems support and guidance, offers immediate insights for users seeking answers, available functionality, and potential solutions.

Onboard new products and processes: Using AskThea, business change professionals can quickly consult Alfa Systems documentation to understand workflow and other configuration changes needed to implement new processes, providing further flexibility and power.

Understand and reduce portfolio credit risk: Alfa Decisioning, a brand new credit decision engine, combines with Alfa iQ's proven experience in predictive AI for dynamic optimization of credit underwriting, with customer-specific modeling.

Systemized decision-making through AI and rules-based workflows.

Efficiency, the first release in Alfa Systems 6, presented Compose: superpersonalized screen design.

The final pillar is Collaborative Ecosystem: Simple integration with market innovations and through Alfa’s trusted partner network.

Alfa presents Intelligent Automation in Alfa Systems 6

With the appointment of our 100th US team member, Alfa US has officially reached a landmark moment in its growth.

The latest intake of both experienced hires and graduates - the largest to have joined at one time in the US - has taken our headcount to 102.  

From its humble beginnings as a small group of expats, Alfa’s US cohort has grown steadily into a dynamic and diverse team. Team members are based in 15 states across the US, working across four different time zones.

Alfa continues to attract top talent with our vibrant and innovative culture. Our community is close-knit and our people are an eclectic mix, but all are creative, talented and hardworking. Everyone enjoys the Alfa work-life balance and, with numerous team events and conferences that bring us together for socializing and team building, we build close working relationships.

Alfa also offers an industry-leading graduate program. Rotational placements over a two-year period offer real-world experience in different areas of the software implementation lifecycle, helping our grads build comprehensive knowledge in delivering our world-class enterprise software platform, Alfa Systems, to our clients. 

“One of the best parts about my job is the opportunity to bring in new talent and watch our people grow and develop. Our best asset is truly all of our people! Huge thank you to everyone who is on the Alfa journey and who has helped us get to this point. Looking forward to seeing the growth in years to come!”

Interested in joining Alfa? Discover more about working with us or view our current vacancies.

Alfa hits major milestone in the US with 100th employee

Taking another major step forward in a longstanding relationship with Alfa, Siemens Financial Services (SFS) completed a successful upgrade to Alfa Systems v5 - on time and within budget - which is now supporting its pan-European financing operations.

Siemens Financial Services (SFS) empowers customers around the globe to unlock the next era of innovation and sustainable growth. Based on its unique combination of technological expertise and financial know-how, SFS provides a diverse set of financing solutions enabling investments in future-proof technologies in key areas like automation, digitalization, and sustainability.

Already today, SFS is one of the leading players in financing greenfield renewable projects and contributes significantly to decarbonization. SFS’s experienced and diverse team allows it to create customized financing solutions, paving the way for industrial productivity, smart infrastructure, and intelligent mobility, facilitating the energy transition and enabling high-quality healthcare.

Hear from Martin Skitt, CFO, SFS Commercial Finance UK

"Our recent Alfa Systems upgrade saw us build on our 15-year-long relationship with Alfa as a key business partner. Our upgrade from Alfa Systems v4 saw over 100 people, from 15 countries, delivering on a two-year project - on time and to specification. Throughout the process Alfa, as a company but also each and every employee we have worked with, have been highly professional and strived to deliver enormous value to our organization, working alongside our employees.

"Two months after go-live, our experience has been great. Naturally with an implementation of this size there were some bumps in the first few days and weeks, but with Alfa’s support we got through those with minimal disruption. I’m certain that with Alfa at the core of our IT offering we will continue to offer the best possible products and service to our customers, partners, and stakeholders."

Hear from Marc Friedman Morata, SFS IT Project Lead

Marc discusses the upgrade process, reflects on project challenges, and highlights the benefits already being realized.

How long has SFS been working with Alfa? 

"Our partnership with Alfa goes back to approximately 15 years. We implemented Alfa Systems v4 in our UK, Nordic, and Indian businesses."


What led you to select Alfa and an upgrade to Alfa Systems v5?

"We needed a state-of-the-art solution to address the business, regulatory, and technological changes that our landscape couldn’t cope with. After going through an extensive analysis of the existing solutions, we concluded that Alfa Systems v5, together with the positive experience over the years and industry know-how of the Alfa teams, were the ideal fit for us."

How did you plan and prepare for the upgrade? What was the process? 

"Before starting with the implementation, we performed an internal pre-work analysis of the process and requirements of the different countries where we wanted to implement the new solution. This helped us clearly understand the topics we had to focus on and prioritize with Alfa.

"Once this work was concluded, we followed the approach proposed by Alfa: starting with an Implementation Foundation phase, in which the plan and gaps were defined; followed by a Build phase where the needed developments took place; and finalized with a Model Office testing phase, where the teams simulated their new day-to-day conditions."

Did you require a lot of custom development?

"In general, we adopted v5’s standard modules 'out of the box'. The developments that were needed represented minor deviations that are important for some of our processes. Alfa also accommodated our internal processes, tooling, and documentation demands, as well as our methodology. This flexibility, on both sides, was essential for kickstarting and progressing the project as planned."


Who were the key teams and stakeholders involved in the project?

"This implementation impacted the majority of our functions. Our stakeholders were the heads of the different functional areas, and we ensured they were represented in the project by resources from their teams. In essence, our project organization mirrored the structure of the company."


What challenges were encountered during the upgrade, and how were these overcome?

"Considering what this sort of integral transformation entails, the project ran extremely smoothly. Our key challenges were around backlog and scope management, as well as unexpected requirements coming towards the end of the Build phase. These are typical, and expected in this sort of implementation.

"Luckily, the Alfa team had experience on how to handle unplanned events as they came up. On top of this, Alfa supported us with additional staffing when needed. The way Alfa ramped up and managed its resources was truly effective and impressive. This, in my personal experience, is one of the usual areas where companies of Alfa’s size struggle the most. And it was not the case with Alfa."

How did you ensure the team was adequately trained to use v5?

"As the new landscape was significantly different from our legacy one, we worked from the beginning of the project on ensuring both our project teams and future users were comfortable with the new Alfa Systems v5 solution and ‘to-be’ landscape.

"For that purpose, we held familiarisation sessions carried out by Alfa experts, on-the-job training ramping up future specialists in charge of the system configuration and operations. In addition, shortly before the go-live, we ran in-depth classroom training sessions with end users from all relevant areas.

"These activities were part of our training concept, the main purpose of which was to cover the different knowledge needs we anticipated from the beginning."


What has been the overall feedback from stakeholders and users?

"We have very positive feedback from our teams. The amount of automation achieved, and new functionalities, allow daily activities to be focused on value-adding and not so much on repetitive and manual tasks."

What advice would you give to other companies that are considering moving to Alfa Systems?

"There are many reasons why Alfa is one of the leading companies providing technology for financial services entities. These reasons are sometimes challenged by different company cultures, team preferences, and so on. This should be avoided. In my opinion, that is precisely where Alfa’s key strengths lie.

"One of our project’s internal mottos was to follow, adopt, and adapt our processes to Alfa ways as much as possible. We were clear that the 'we know better' approach would take us nowhere, and at no point wanted Alfa to change their way of working.

"Also, I feel it is particularly critical to ensure collaboration at eye level. For us, we never looked at Alfa as our 'vendor or solution provider', but rather as part of the team and a true partner. The same principle applies to all the different teams - internal and external to Siemens - that collaborated in this transformation.

"Naturally this openness, at times, led to discussions of the different points of view. Ultimately, these discussions were simply essential to the success of the delivery. In addition, typically Alfa’s team is outnumbered by our project resources, and therefore respect and an adequate channeling of direct requests to Alfa experts also played an important role."

How do you see your implementation of Alfa Systems evolving to match SFS needs? 

"Alfa Systems v5 and the upcoming Alfa Systems 6 features are part of our strategic roadmap. Certainly, we will take part in the user group discussions, and grow our features in those areas that are relevant to our needs or bring new opportunities."

"The fact that we had partnered with Alfa for many years, coupled with Alfa’s track record across the industry, made them the ideal partner to perform such a complex upgrade. Alfa teams know the business, and excel in providing technical solutions. Also essential to these critical implementations that are prone to failure or delay, they have a clear approach on how to deliver. They collaborated, guided, and supported Siemens Financial Services experts along the way."

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