Bank CenterCredit accelerates decision making by 50% with real-time data in Microsoft Fabric

Bank CenterCredit has been serving customers across Kazakhstan since 1988. It operates a network of 20 branches and more than 150 outlets, providing financial services to over 3 million individuals and businesses. The bank has built its operations around customer needs, with a focus on efficiency driven by data. Its mission is to deliver smart and swift solutions with care for its clients, fostering long-term partnerships in the international market. It prioritizes preparing for future machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The bank is already at the forefront of AI and ML innovation, continuously advancing its technologies to drive smarter decision making and enhance operational efficiency.

Aiming to expand data access

As the bank expanded its operations, data management became a growing challenge. Preparing reports was a lengthy and labor-intensive process, with IT specialists and analysts manually uploading data from various sources. "Previously, preparing data for reporting could take up to three weeks, which significantly slowed decision making," recalls Rubina Lozovaya, Chief Digital Officer, Vice President of Data Management and Retail Risk Management at Bank CenterCredit. Delays in reporting also affected the bank’s decision making, making it difficult to act on real-time developments.

The bank had already been using Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft Teams and Power BI, but as it grew, the need for a more scalable, consolidated data environment became apparent. Rubina Lozovaya says, "This meant enabling over 3,000 employees to seamlessly work with reports while maintaining the system’s high performance and reliability." Bank CenterCredit wanted to ensure that employees could only access data relevant to their job responsibilities through a centralized, role-based model. “The value of collecting and transforming big data for business is indisputable, but it requires aligning the services for creating and using financial and management reporting with regulatory requirements, particularly in terms of data encryption. Bank CenterCredit adheres to high internal information security standards,” shares Rubina Lozovaya.

Optimizing analytics for efficiency

After considering several proofs of concept (PoCs), Bank CenterCredit chose Microsoft Fabric. It partnered with Awara IT to tailor Microsoft Fabric to its needs, ensuring secure access, seamless integration, performance optimization, and comprehensive team training for long-term success. Since 2023, Awara IT has been a trusted partner of Bank CenterCredit, starting the collaboration with the successful implementation of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams.

Bank CenterCredit started by evaluating its existing processes and testing the impact of Fabric on the most frequently used reporting needs of branch employees, ensuring it could handle high data volumes and user loads. This involved evaluating live dashboards in a safe environment, configuring access, and simulating stress tests. Next, Awara IT conducted a PoC with various load levels, testing.

Throughout the implementation process, Bank CenterCredit prioritized security and compliance. It did a thorough review to ensure compliance with data security requirements, including data encryption, user authentication, and role-based access management. The bank used Microsoft Entra ID to centralize access control and prevent unauthorized access. Furthermore, Entra ID helped with refining role models to limit access to sensitive data.

Saving time and cutting costs

Today, Microsoft Fabric consolidates all company data in one interface, effortlessly handling millions of transactions and supporting over 3,000 active users simultaneously. Users see only role-relevant data, ensuring transparency, security, and error-free processing. For example, sales representatives analyze regional performance trends to adjust strategies, while operations teams assess efficiency metrics to set priorities. Bank CenterCredit’s executives can now access data while on the move through their phones or tablets to make informed decisions throughout the day.

This centralized approach also means the Bank CenterCredit can create specialized reports tailored to different business needs. One example is a performance-tracking report built with Microsoft Fabric and Power BI, which automates data gathering, verification, and calculations—eliminating the manual, labor-intensive, and error-prone process from before.

Employees can easily track their progress through personal dashboards, while managers gain a comprehensive departmental overview, enabling more balanced decision making and improving overall team effectiveness.

Automated reporting has improved efficiency and reduced delays, allowing leaders to act faster. "Reports that once took weeks to prepare are now completed within hours,” shares Rubina Lozovaya. “With Microsoft Fabric and Power BI, the time required for analytics has decreased and decision making accelerated by 50%. Automated reporting has saved employees over 800 hours per month, allowing them to focus on other tasks.” Automated reporting also reduces errors by 40%, further eliminating delays and complications.

Bank CenterCredit’s transition to cloud technologies also resulted in cost savings. "Choosing cloud technologies eliminated the need for expensive server hardware. Prepaying for a Microsoft Fabric F64 subscription saved 41% compared to monthly payments," Rubina Lozovaya remarks. The bank also benefited from consolidating user licenses, compared to purchasing individual licenses, resulting in more than KZT500 million savings over three years.

Real-time data transforms decision making

The transformation of data management has led to significant improvements in business operations. For instance, employees and branch managers can now monitor sales trends and performance in real time, allowing them to quickly respond to any deviations, with a particular focus on dashboard monitoring implemented since 2020. As a result, when comparing sales figures from 2020 to 2024 with the same period from 2015 to 2019, we see a growth of over 300%—an impressive result largely driven by a focus on real-time analysis of key performance indicators. Additionally, customer activity analysis has allowed the bank to launch personalized campaigns, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty through tailored services and offers.

With a strong foundation in data-driven decision-making, Bank CenterCredit is now focused on expanding its analytics capabilities. It plans to advance data governance by implementing robust cataloging, data lineage tracking, and data quality frameworks to ensure better control, transparency, and trust in data processes.

The bank has long been a leader in AI and ML innovation, continuously refining and expanding its capabilities. Microsoft Fabric enhances this progress, providing a scalable, unified data environment. "The platform further amplifies opportunities for leveraging ML and AI through Microsoft’s state-of-the-art tools and technologies. These include cutting-edge methodologies, global best practices, and the ability to design and implement new scenarios that integrate ML and AI across all areas and business processes of the bank," Rubina Lozovaya remarks.

Analytics will remain central to the bank’s long-term strategy. "We see analytics not just as a tool but as a strategic advantage. It brings us closer to our customers, enhances resource management, and helps us thrive in a highly competitive environment," concludes Rubina Lozovaya.

Discover more about Bank Center Credit on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.