This step enables financial institutions to assess how well they are currently serving women-led SMEs by analyzing their existing portfolio. Unlike segmentation, which looks forward to potential, portfolio analysis uses available client and lending data to evaluate past and current performance.
Start by collecting and cleaning client-level data, including sex of owner or manager, loan and deposit history, enterprise size, age of business, and sector. It’s important that each client record can be linked to its corresponding financial products and performance indicators.
Review how many women-led SMEs exist in your portfolio and how they compare to male-owned SMEs. This includes uptake of financial products, loan performance, average relationship length, and deposit behavior. Use these indicators to identify both strengths and gaps in your current offering.
Portfolio analysis reveals how WSMEs are distributed across size, sector, and geography, and whether certain groups are underserved. It can also uncover risks or inefficiencies, such as lower loan sizes or shorter product cycles for women clients. These findings feed into strategic planning, helping institutions better align their services with real client needs.