Serving up savings: Bringing bank fees into focus

The challenge 

Bank fees were visible, but the story behind them was not for a global, multi-brand restaurant operator. 

The company received fee data from several financial institutions, but the quality and accessibility of that information varied from bank to bank. Service descriptions were inconsistent, reporting was fragmented, and treasury did not have a reliable view of its cost drivers. 

That made seemingly simple questions difficult to answer. Which services were becoming more expensive? How did pricing compare across banks? Where were the best opportunities to negotiate? Without a standard way to analyze the data, the team spent too much time assembling information before it could act on it. 

The company needed a repeatable bank fee due diligence process — one that would bring the data together, make it easier to understand,, and give treasury a stronger basis for challenging costs. 

The approach 

Clearsulting reviewed and optimized the company’s Kyriba bank fee analysis module configuration, validated bank-specific pricing, improved service– code descriptions, and refined statement preprocessing. The first priority was to make the underlying data dependable. 

Once that foundation was in place, Clearsulting developed a dynamic bank fee analysis dashboard with custom mapping and multiple ways to view the data. Treasury could examine fees by bank, service, account, company, and restaurant group without rebuilding the analysis each month. 

We also established a pricing benchmark for key information –reporting and depository services. This allowed the team to compare costs more accurately, identify outliers, and focus bank negotiations on the highest-impact areas. 

To help the company maintain that discipline, Clearsulting introduced operational KPIs and a regular review process for tracking fee trends and measuring the effect of optimization efforts over time.

The results 

The work produced both immediate savings and a better way to identify the next opportunity. 

• $132,000 in annual savings identified and approved to date  
• An additional $9,000 in savings opportunities under review  
• Clearer visibility into total bank spending and its primary cost drivers  
• A more objective basis for comparing bank pricing and preparing for negotiations  

The treasury team’s bank fee review goes beyond validating contractual pricing each month. Treasury now has a thorough due diligence framework to monitor and compare fees, identify where costs are changing, and flag items deserving attention. 

Just as importantly, the company made better use of technology it already owned. By combining Kyriba configuration expertise, a purpose-built dashboard, and functional treasury and bank fee advisory acumen, Clearsulting turned fragmented statement data into a useful management tool. 

See what your bank fees are really costing you

A bank fee review should do more than produce another spreadsheet. Clearsulting helps treasury teams improve the quality of their data, benchmark material cost drivers, and turn monthly statements into a clear plan for action. 

Connect with our team today to learn how bank fee analysis optimization and targeted advisory can reveal savings and strengthen your next bank negotiation.