Client Background

A top 5 financial institution in the United States approached Hercules with a critical challenge in their derivatives department. The equity team was grappling with the manual processing of Term sheets for various derivative instruments, such as options, calls, and notes, from a multitude of clients.

Problem Statement


In the highly competitive and fast-paced world of finance, the client, a leading U.S. financial institution within the top 5 banks, faced a significant challenge in their derivatives department. The equity team was overwhelmed with the task of managing a multitude of Term sheets from various clients to execute complex derivative instruments like options, calls, and notes.

This problem was multifaceted in nature. The team had to deal with a myriad of Term sheets, each varying in structure and content, reflecting the diverse needs and specifications of different clients. These documents were not only numerous but also complex, containing intricate details crucial for the execution and management of derivative contracts.

The manual process of data extraction from these Term sheets was both time-consuming and prone to errors. Each Term sheet required scrutiny to identify and extract key data points necessary for trade execution, client confirmation, and analysis. This manual intervention not only slowed down the process significantly but also introduced the risk of human error, which in the world of derivatives could lead to substantial financial implications.
Manual Process and Its Costs: The bank's initial approach involved creating individual Excel Macros for each client. However, with a target of onboarding 1,000s of clients, this method proved economically and technologically inefficient. Each new client added unique formatting challenges, and the high cost of custom onboarding made economies of scale unattainable.

In summary, the client was grappling with a critical operational bottleneck that was impeding the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of their derivatives trading operations. The need for an innovative, technology-driven solution was evident to handle this complex and resource-intensive process.

Cost Analysis
  1. Annual Salary of a Trading Desk Employee: $100,000, monthly $8,300.
  2. Development Cost for Two Clients: $16,600 over two months.
  3. Cost Per Client: $8,300.
  4. Total Cost Per Client (including Opportunity Cost): Conservatively estimated at $10,000.
  5. Scaled Cost: $5,000,000 for 1,000 clients.
  6. Time to Market: 41 years and 8 months for bi-weekly onboarding.
Hercules AI-Powered Solution
  1. Cost Per Client: $300 (Total investment $300,000 divided by 1,000 clients).
  2. Time to Market: Reduced to 3 months.
  3. Accuracy: 96% in data extraction.
  4. Operational Time Savings: 97%.
  5. Financial Savings: $4,700,000 when compared to the manual process.

Break-Even Analysis:
The break-even point is reached with the onboarding of the 64th client, occurring in just 2 months.

Conclusion
Hercules solution revolutionized the client’s data extraction process. By automating and streamlining operations, the financial institution realized significant cost savings, enhanced efficiency, and improved scalability. The transformation from a manual, macro-based system to Hercules’s advanced AI approach resulted in a substantial reduction in time to market, freeing up valuable resources for other strategic initiatives.

The ROI achieved through Hercules solution not only provided a financial advantage but also showcased the power of AI in tackling complex, document-based processes in the finance sector. The client successfully transitioned to a more agile, efficient, and cost-effective method of handling derivatives, setting a new standard in the industry.

 

 

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