"Trust should be one of the main pillars of your service.
- By Yaman Aljendi - Marketing Manager, EDC.
Why bolt-on security often fails
Security, compliance, and verification do not work well as afterthoughts. When additional controls are patched onto an existing process, they create extra steps, manual checks, and duplicated work. That often leads to friction and errors.
Customers then experience the knock-on effects as extra forms, unclear requests, and longer wait times kick in. Staff feel it as exceptions and escalations. Regulators see it as a signal that the firm is not in control.
Treat trust as a design goal, not a cost center. When you invest early in safe, simple workflows, you lower the total cost of service and raise customer confidence. In markets where offerings look similar, trust becomes a key reason to choose and stay.
Avoid the manual process trap
In parts of the Middle East financial sector, adding extra manual steps has been a common way to handle additional security and compliance requirements. This can feel practical because it avoids a large up-front tech spend, but it can also lead to slower onboarding and higher error rates. New technology offers a way out of this trap. Checks can now be accurate and fast without huge investments. Automated identity and business verification, assisted paths for edge cases, and clean integrations with authorities mean you can raise assurance and lower friction at the same time.
The core idea: safe and quick
Trust by design asks one question at every step: how do we make this both safe and quick. Not safe or quick. Both. That means:
- Strong identity proof with minimal friction
- Clear, visible compliance in every customer message
- Fast, automated checks with a human fallback when needed
- Honest, plain-language explanations of what data is being collected and why
When customers see this, they relax. When regulators see this, they gain confidence, and when internal teams see this, they become more efficient.
Build blocks of trust into the journey
Below are practical areas to consider from day one.
1. Identity and business verification
Start every relationship with clear proof. KYC and KYB can protect customer identity, secure data, and reduce fraud risk. For business clients, Physical Site Verification can confirm that a company operates at a real address. These steps can support internal risk goals and external expectations from authorities.
- KYC and KYB help reduce impersonation risk
- PSV adds on-site evidence with geotagged photos and documents
- Assisted paths support customers who cannot complete fully digital checks
2. Fast, compliant digital journeys
Speed without control can create issues. Control without speed can frustrate users. Efficiency and well-designed digital journeys can connect to the right authorities and data sources to validate identity and documents in near real time. This keeps the onboarding process moving while maintaining policy and regulatory requirements.
- Real-time checks can reduce turnaround time
- Clear screen flows can lower drop-off
- Built-in audit trails can simplify reviews
3. Clear, consistent communications
Trust grows when messages are accurate, consistent, and easy to understand. A good Customer Communication Management system can help by locking regulatory text, keeping templates aligned, and updating terms across channels in one place. Customers see the same information in email, SMS, and statements, and compliance teams can see what went out and when.
- Pre-approved blocks can reduce risk
- Centralized templates can align every channel
- Full history can support audits and dispute handling
Design principles that help
Use these simple rules to keep trust visible in your service:
Prove once, reuse safely.
Avoid asking customers to repeat steps you have already verified. Reuse verified data through secure links and tokens when policy allows. This can lower effort and errors.
Automate first, assist when needed.
Let straightforward cases flow quickly. Provide a clear path for staff to help when documents are missing or a customer needs guidance.
Explain the why.
Say what you collect, why you collect it, and how it helps the customer. Show consent choices clearly. Use plain language.
Make recovery a feature.
Incidents can happen. Plan the response. If something goes wrong, notify quickly, explain the fix, and offer a fair remedy. Practicing this response can improve outcomes.
Measure what matters.
Track verification pass rates, onboarding time, drop-off points, message accuracy, and issue resolution speed. Share these measures with teams so they can improve the experience over time.
What good can look like
A trust-by-design onboarding might work like this:
- A customer starts online. Identity is verified in seconds through secure checks. Assisted verification is available for anyone who needs help.
- For a business, documents are checked, ownership is mapped, and a site visit is scheduled if required. Results include geotagged proof where policy allows.
- Messages and terms are pulled from approved CCM templates, so every channel matches and compliance is applied consistently.
- Status updates are timely and clear. If something stalls, the customer sees what is missing and how to resolve it.
- The entire flow leaves an audit trail for internal review and regulators.
The intended outcome is straightforward: fewer steps, fewer errors, faster time to value, and clear proof at each stage.
When security and compliance are treated as a cost, they can feel like a burden. When they are treated as a design pillar, they can become a reason to choose you. Trust by design can protect customers and your brand while reducing friction and risk. Build trust in from the start, and you increase the chance of earning loyalty.
