The Challenge
NatWest Group manually tracked its ticketing and hospitality assets in a spreadsheet which, while being an easy-to-use solution, created a number of issues. The spreadsheet was sent around the business, so staff in over 20 departments could apply for tickets. Each team created its own copy of the spreadsheet with its requests for assets. The central hospitality team then had to collate requests to create a single view across the bank.
This manual approach led to a duplication of effort and made hospitality management a time-consuming process. Additionally, post-event evaluations were not possible due to the time it took to manage requests, as the team did not have enough time to follow up with colleagues. This meant the business lacked feedback data to evaluate outcomes effectively.
A further challenge for NatWest Group was that each business unit had different approval processes for different functions within the bank. To replace the spreadsheets, it needed a purpose-built platform that could work across the group and also adapt to the existing processes within each business unit.
Specific obstacles and challenges included:
- Fragmented Request Process – Multiple departments using separate spreadsheets duplicated efforts and obscured a unified view.
- Inefficient Ticket Access & Approval – Lack of a streamlined system complicated ticket requests and varied approval processes.
- Cumbersome Data & Feedback – Manual guest detail collation and low post-event response hindered effective evaluation.
- Laborious Financial Reporting – Time-intensive reporting slowed overall operational efficiency.
Before and after
| Metric | Before | With Sponsorworks |
|---|---|---|
| Systems of record | 22+ spreadsheet copies | One platform |
| Post-event feedback | Not captured | 100% of events |
| Approval routing | Different in every unit | Configured for each unit on one platform |
Solution and results
NatWest Group realised it needed to automate its corporate hospitality management. The banking group looked for an established software platform that could work with its existing processes. With many different brands and customer segments, the banking group wanted to avoid changing processes to fit with a new system.
As a result, NatWest Group chose the Sponsorworks Enterprise Platform. This off-the-shelf solution gave the group 95% of the functionality it needed straight away. Due to the platform’s flexibility, Sponsorworks customised it to also handle the extra features that were needed. These covered the differing request and approval processes across NatWest Group.
The new platform made it easier for each department to see its allocation of tickets. It was also simpler for department representatives to assign or transfer tickets to staff to ensure tickets were used. This played a key role in improving ticket utilisation.
With its previous spreadsheet method, NatWest Group was unable to collect feedback data and analyse guest experiences. Once the group moved to the Sponsorworks platform, it could use automated post-event surveys to evaluate the success of different hospitality offerings at each venue. The platform also ensures GDPR compliance through the use of its automated data retention policies.
Alongside the software platform, the Sponsorworks customer support team also provides an agency managed service for NatWest Group. This complements NatWest Group’s internal admin team and deals with all first-line enquiries from representatives and hosts. This frees up the sponsorship managers to focus on running their commercial partnerships and campaigns.
The Sponsorworks platform has enabled us to streamline our corporate hospitality management across the group. It's easy to use and takes a fraction of the time and resource it used to take. Of equal value though, is the invaluable data we are able to access after every event. This helps us offer the best experiences to customers and assess the business outcomes too.
Modules used
What NatWest Group runs on Sponsorworks.
The benefits for NatWest Group:
- Replacing manual spreadsheets has delivered significant time savings across the group.
- The hospitality team no longer collates data from competing spreadsheet versions.
- Automation and self-service work for representatives and hosts in every department.
- Automated surveys feed ROI evaluation and future partnership planning.
- Clear visibility of ticket usage keeps utilisation high as the portfolio grows.
Running hospitality across separate teams?
See how Sponsorworks handles a different approval process for every business unit without splitting the data.
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