The F/M/B Model
Frontline / Midline / Backline operating framework that clarifies who owns what across customer experience delivery.
When This Applies
- Customer journeys break down between teams
- "Everyone owns CX" means no one owns CX
- Digital transformation creating new handoff points
- Cross-functional alignment needed for new product launches
- Diagnosing why customer experiences feel disconnected
When This Does NOT Apply
- Small team where everyone does everything
- Problem is strategy, not execution
- Single-channel business with no handoffs
The Framework
In many financial institutions, the biggest barrier to growth isn't intent. It's ownership. Everyone wants to improve the experience, but it's often unclear: Who actually owns each customer moment? Where do journeys break down? How do you align local execution with enterprise strategy?
The F/M/B Model solves this by defining clear layers of accountability while keeping collaboration fluid and cross-functional.
Direct engagement with customers across branch, digital, and contact center touchpoints.
Branch bankers, tellers, relationship managers, contact center reps, digital support teams.
Deliver the promise. Frontline staff bring the strategy to life in the customer's world. They answer questions, solve problems, and create moments that reinforce the brand's values.
- Onboarding a new checking account
- Guiding customers through app setup
- Handling service escalations with empathy
Journey design, communications, personalization, and CRM-driven engagement.
Marketing, UX, Product, Data & Analytics teams.
Connect the dots. The Midline ensures that customer insights inform every message, touchpoint, and follow-up. Creates continuity between what the customer expects and what they experience.
- Designing onboarding sequences and follow-up messaging
- Managing CRM journeys and data-driven triggers
- Coordinating campaigns or offers that align with personas
Infrastructure, systems, compliance, and operational support that make customer journeys actually work.
Operations, Digital Platform Owners, IT, Risk, and Legal teams.
Make it possible. The Backline enables and sustains the experience by providing the platforms, processes, and safeguards that allow the Frontline and Midline to perform consistently and confidently.
- Ensuring OLB and treasury onboarding run smoothly
- Managing digital integrations and data flows
- Aligning compliance and risk parameters with experience goals
Example: Account Setup Journey
| Step | Frontline | Midline | Backline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account setup | Guides customer in-branch or online | Sends onboarding messages, collects data | Ensures systems integration & approvals |
| Issue triage | Responds and escalates | Tracks issue patterns, refines comms | Improves process flow and risk alignment |
Applied F/M/B to treasury management onboarding. Discovered Midline (marketing) had no visibility into Backline (ops) approval bottlenecks. Customers were getting nurture emails after already being stuck for weeks. Fixed by adding status triggers.
How to Deploy
- Select a journey to map Start with one high-friction or high-value journey.
- Identify current owners Who touches each step today?
- Apply F/M/B lens Categorize each owner by layer.
- Surface the gaps Where is ownership unclear? Where are handoffs breaking?
- Clarify accountabilities Assign primary owner per step, define escalation paths.
- Test with a live journey Run one customer through and observe where it breaks.
Diagnostic Questions
- For your most important customer journey, can you name one owner for each step?
- When a customer experience breaks, who is accountable for fixing it?
- Do your Midline teams have visibility into what Frontline is actually experiencing?
- Does your Backline understand the customer impact of their platform decisions?