Products May 13, 2007

Fidelity Introduces Web-Based CRM and Financial Planning Offerings

Through relationships with Oracle and Emerging Information Systems Inc. (EISI), Fidelity Investments will introduce customized and efficient customer relationship management (CRM) and financial planning systems for registered investment advisers (RIAs).
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The CRM offering will be a customized version of Oracle’s Siebel CRM On Demand and the financial planning offering will be EISI’s NaviPlan Central. Later this year, Fidelity will integrate the new programs with Advisor CHANNEL, Fidelity’s brokerage platform for advisers. The integration will allow advisers one-click access to both programs from within Advisor CHANNEL, preventing advisers from having to log on and re-type client information into multiple systems.

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Both systems will be hosted in an on demand ASP environment, which, combined with the integration into Advisor CHANNEL, can help advisers realize greater workflow efficiencies, but also provide them with the ability to access client data virtually anytime, anywhere via the Internet, as well as the ability to replicate it on their desktops.

Fidelity’s CRM offering will pre-populate Fidelity forms and applications, and offer advisers to gain a holistic view of the accounts across each client’s household and track every interaction with that household, across their practice, while helping them identify opportunities, convert referrals, increase share of wallet and measure business results.

NaviPlan will allow advisers one-click access to import Fidelity brokerage account demographic and position-level information into the software, eliminating the need to re-type account information. The program allows advisers varying levels of financial planning options, from a straightforward financial assessment of an investor’s net worth to detailed cash flow-based financial plans. Reports created through NaviPlan can also be customized and branded with a firm’s logo, the firm said.

The Markets May 13, 2007

International Investing Appeals to Affluent Households

Nearly half (40%) of affluent households will continue to, or begin to, seek investments abroad, according to a new report from consulting firm Spectrem Group.
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Of the affluent households surveyed, defined as having more than $500,000 in investable assets, about a third (31%) say they are investing more internationally now than in the past.

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The most popular countries or areas for investment are: China (30%), Europe (20%), Japan (12%), and India (11%).

Affluent households find international investing to be an alternative investment, using such investments much more frequently than some other well-known alternative investments. REITs are the most popular of other alternative investments, with 27% of affluent households investing in such vehicles. Fifteen percent of affluent households invest in private placements, 14% in venture capital, and just 8% invest in hedge funds.

“The affluent view international investing as an ‘alternative’ approach, and in many cases are seeking more than just mutual funds to satisfy their global investment ambitions. For financial advisers, this suggests a need to provide affluent clients with a sense for how to invest internationally as well as where the best opportunities might be found,” said Catherine S. McBreen, Managing Director of Spectrem Group, in a press release from the firm.

These findings are detailed in a Spectrem Perspective report, “Meeting The Affluent Investors Needs Through International Investing,” released last week. Those interested in a copy of the report can contact Spectrem Group at (312) 382-8284.

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