DLA: Neslihan, you founded Business Service Solution in 2012 – what was your personal motivation?
Neslihan Özbugutu: From an early age, I had a strong interest in the financial world – particularly in sales processes and digital solutions. For me, it was clear: I wanted to build a company where performance, commitment and team spirit mattered – regardless of gender, background or age. It was never about filling a specific market gap. It was about turning my experience and vision into something of my own. And although I knew the road would be tough, that was exactly what motivated me.
DLA: What did the early stages of your journey look like?
Neslihan Özbugutu: The first few years were challenging. We worked with a small team but on very demanding projects – our first clients were already established players in the industry. Expectations were high. At the same time, we didn’t have mature structures or established systems yet – only energy and determination. Work-life balance? That was a foreign concept for me back then. But I learned just how much is possible when you believe in yourself and build a strong team around you.
DLA: Was there a moment when you realized: this is the breakthrough?
Neslihan Özbugutu: Yes, one very defining moment was a sales challenge organized by a well-known financial services provider. Back then, we were still using „Gelbe Seiten“ – page by page, classic and direct. I was right in the middle of it as our first salesperson, together with my team. And the hard work paid off: we were named “Best Performer” of the challenge. That was a key moment for me – it showed that our approach worked and that we could play in the big leagues.
DLA: What do bss look like today? How has the company developed since then?
Neslihan Özbugutu: Today we have more than 110 employees – and we aim to reach 140 by the end of 2025. The biggest growth leap came after the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were finally able to offer our services across the industry after ending an exclusivity agreement. That development positioned us as a sought-after partner in the financial services industry – not only because of our strong sales capabilities, but especially because of our technological innovation.
DLA: Which milestones have been particularly important for bss?
Neslihan Özbugutu: There are quite a few: In 2015, we developed our own contact center software. In 2019, we introduced our video identification solution, bssidentify. That product was born from a challenge in one of our projects – many merchant onboardings were failing due to incomplete identification processes and we had no control over that. I was determined to fix it quickly and together with my team, we built our own solution – one that proved successful.
In 2020, we introduced selfie-ident technology and expanded into Turkey. In 2021, we added a digital signature solution for legally compliant contract execution. Last year, we received our BaFin license for account information services – definitely one of bss’s biggest milestones. And 2025 had to start off just as strong – we entered into a strategic partnership with our technology partner 3flows and, within the first half of the year, completed a successful exit from our Turkish business.
DLA: Your guiding principle for the future is “People & Technology.” What does that mean in practice?
Neslihan Özbugutu: For us, “People & Technology” is more than just a phrase – it’s our strategic compass. We don’t see technology as an end in itself, but as a tool to make processes more efficient, secure and user-friendly. People are always at the center – our clients, our partners and our team. A great example is our B2B digital onboarding platform, bssonboardify. It fully digitizes the entire onboarding process – from first contact to legally compliant contract completion. This includes automated KYC checks, interfaces to official primary sources like commercial and transparency registers or international databases and integrated digital signature processes. Our goal is to combine regulatory compliance with a seamless and positive user experience intelligently – especially in highly regulated industries like financial services.
DLA: What is the goal of this platform?
Neslihan Özbugutu: With bssonboardify, we aim to establish a fully digital and intelligent lead-to-contract journey. The platform brings together regulatory requirements, internal validation processes and an intuitive user interface into one integrated system. At its core, it’s about setting new standards for efficiency, user-friendliness and compliance. Using advanced KYC technologies, direct connections to primary sources and automated document verification in accordance with anti-money laundering laws (AML), we enable real-time onboarding – seamless, paperless and fully compliant. For our clients, this means faster onboarding, reduced process costs, maximum regulatory security – and at the same time, an improved customer experience with higher conversion rates. What is often a complex compliance requirement becomes a real competitive advantage.
DLA: What role does the team behind bss play in all of this?
Neslihan Özbugutu: An essential one. At bss, we firmly believe that while technology drives our progress, it’s our people who give us purpose and direction. Real transformation happens when innovation meets human insight. That’s why we place great emphasis on fostering talent, nurturing a strong and inclusive company culture, and building long-term, trust-based partnerships. Our growth is not just measured in headcount – but in expertise, collaboration and shared vision.
DLA: Looking back on your journey – what advice would you give your younger self?
Neslihan Özbugutu: Without a doubt: “Trust your inner voice – it will guide you better than any spreadsheet.” Data and analysis are important tools, but they can’t replace intuition and lived experience. Some of the most pivotal decisions I’ve made came from instinct – and they turned out to be absolutely right.
DLA: We love your spirit at the DLA, Neslihan! This is what it needs in a disruptive environment. What comes next for bss?
Neslihan Özbugutu: We’re still at the beginning of our journey. The digital transformation of the financial services industry offers enormous opportunities – and we’re committed to playing an active role in shaping that future. A key driver is our digital onboarding platform, bssonboardify – a fully integrated,
intelligent solution designed to raise the bar in efficiency, usability and regulatory compliance.
But we’re taking it even further: bssonboardify is evolving into a comprehensive Customer Experience Platform that supports the entire lifecycle of business clients – from the first contact to long-term engagement. AI-powered agents will enable automated communication, proactive service and personalized customer journeys.
From cross-selling and upselling to winback, the platform will manage all interactions and processes digitally – scalable, secure and tailored to the customer. This is our vision of the future: seamless, data-driven customer relationships – and we’re excited to lead the way.
DLA: Thank you for the interview, Neslihan. All the best for you and the whole team!
Photo Credits:
- Business Service Solution