Wesleyan Assurance Society has introduced a new customer sales system that uses state-of-the-art technology, including software created exclusively for Wesleyan’s use.

This will enable the Society to provide an even greater level of service and insight to its niche market professional client groups. The new system is based on 1st’s Adviser Evolution technology.

The system is designed to virtually eliminate the use of paper and will deliver straight-through processing. This means that, in many cases, the advice process moves electronically from the initial meeting with the customer through to receipt of policy.

The new system has undergone rigorous security tests to ensure it complies with Wesleyan’s tough data protection standards. It operates on a tablet PC that employs user recognition for log-on and hard drive encryption specific to the motherboard.

Steve Deutsch, Wesleyan’s Operations Director said, “We did a good deal of careful research before committing to this system. We have worked closely with 1st to ensure that the software employed will enable us to provide an even higher level of customer service that is consistent across the Sales Force.

It increases our ability to provide lifelong holistic financial care as it incorporates features that make it easier to keep in touch with our clients and alert to their financial needs".

“The system also complements the insight we already have in our target markets.

Part of the software used has been created exclusively for Wesleyan to take into account the needs of our niche professional clients.

So, for example, there are features which make it easy to make calculations based on the complex NHS pension scheme".


“The system complies well with the FSA’s Treating Customers Fairly requirements, of which we were mindful when developing it.

The software includes embedded analysis formulae so that all customers receive a consistent analysis appropriate to their profession.

It has advanced presentation features allowing clients to see how the analysis of their financial needs is conducted".

"The feedback from clients has been very positive and we’re pleased to have in place an innovative system that will deliver real benefits across the organisation.”

Other benefits of the system include:-

It is a highly visual sales aid employing the use of colour bar charts, graphs and tables to highlight each client’s circumstances;

It has a built-in reminder functionality, which flashes up key dates on the home page such as mortgage renewal date. This means that clients’ needs can be regularly re-assessed without them having to do anything;

It makes it easy for Financial Consultants to provide an annual financial review for every client, helping them to keep on top of their personal finance arrangements.

The new system is being rolled out on a phased basis across Wesleyan’s Sales Force. All Financial Consultants will be trained and have full access to it from June.

For more information and interviews please contact:

Wesleyan
Bernadette Bogan or Navdeep Bhatti 0121 200 9609
Press Office press@wesleyan.co.uk

Sophie Hull 0207 404 9660
Vanbrugh Communications

1st – The Exchange
Elizabeth Williams 01926 621 409
Nicola Mitchell (Mitchell Moneypenny Ltd) nicola@mitchellmoneypenny.co.uk


Notes to Editors:

Wesleyan
Wesleyan Assurance Society, founded in 1841, is a mutual organisation. Its core values are Insight, Performance and Trust.

Wesleyan offers specialist financial advice to hospital doctors, GPs, dentists, teachers and lawyers, through its principal distribution brands Wesleyan Medical Sickness, Wesleyan for Teachers and Wesleyan for Lawyers.

The Wesleyan Group has in excess of £4 billion of funds under management as at 31 December 2007.

Wesleyan’s pensions With Profits fund was ranked the top with profits performer for single premiums invested over five and ten years in the most recent Money Management Individual Pensions survey (March 2008). In addition the Wesleyan Pensions Managed Fund appeared in the top five performers for single premiums invested over 10 and 15 year periods in the Balanced Managed Fund category.

In 2007 Wesleyan Assurance Society won the ifs Financial Innovation Awards 2007 for Most Effective Customer Segmentation Strategy.

Wesleyan is one of the UK’s financially strongest mutuals, receiving a ten-out-of- ten rating for four consecutive years in the Cazalet Consulting survey of With Profits offices.

Wesleyan came first for realistic free asset ratio (the most significant measure of financial strength for With Profit insurers) in the most recent Ernst & Young review of UK Life Insurance Companies.

Wesleyan is one of only four UK life companies to receive a rating of Excellent for Financial Strength by A.M Best, a global credit rating organisation.

Wesleyan Assurance Society Head Office: PO Box 3420, Colmore Circus Birmingham B4 6AR. Website: www.wesleyan.co.uk

1st – The Exchange

1st – The Exchange are market leading providers of technology solutions to the financial services market and are part of the financial services division of Vertex,a provider of solutions to the mortgage, life, pension, investment and distribution market sectors.

Together they provide an integrated suite of technology solutions,software and consultancy to the financial services industry which help support the key stages ofan intermediary’s business process, whatever its size.

In doing so they enable their users to service their clients more efficiently and profitability, whilst meeting regulatory demands, reducing costs and maximising profits.

The Exchange is the largest provider of online comparative quotations and electronic new business applications in the UK financial services portal market. Their two main products are Exweb, for advisers and brokers, and Officeweb.

Exweb is the UK’s leading intermediary trading platform in the financial services market, used by over 25,500 registered users within authorised advisory firms. It provides online information and transaction services, with 110 million client illustrations processed over the service in 2006.

1st develops, markets and supports software delivering financial planning, client management and full back office administration to financial intermediaries.

1st’s ‘Adviser Office’ software, is the market-leading client management solution used by more than 1,400 Adviser firms offering wealth management and financial advice, both Multi-tied and Independent.

Based on Microsoft SQL Server and .net Technology, Adviser Office and Adviser Evolution link with over 60 partners, including product providers, portals and fund supermarkets to aggregate client data and avoid any data re-keying.

The Financial Services Division of Vertex employs approximately 1,600 people and has offices in Cheltenham, Chester, Bristol, Dudley, Warwick, Woking, Toronto and Vancouver.