Mike Kellard said: “As a business, we have always been responsive to change, and RDR and the pensions’ reforms are no different. We’ve come a long way and worked hard to ensure that our products and services are able to support the needs of our advisers, their clients and their families, but there is still a lot to do.”
In October, Axa Wealth appointed a new customer services director, whose appointment, according to Mr Kellard, underlines the importance Axa Wealth places on providing excellent and consistent service to all its customers.
Mr Kellard said: “Looking to the future, we are focused on ensuring we have one of the best retirement propositions on the market, broadening our appeal with both new and existing advisers and continuing to respond to feedback from our customers to ensure our service and support offers them what they need and want.”
Just Retirement: Sharing the knowledge is key
Pensions reform has created a buzz in the pensions market like never before, but service remains a priority, according to Just Retirement.
Stephen Lowe, group external affairs and customer insight director at Just Retirement, said: “Change may be in the air, but one thing that remains resolute is our determination to promote the role of the intermediary and to provide the consistency and quality of service advisers have come to expect and the support they need to best meet their clients’ needs.
Over the past year Just Retirement has been sending out regular updates to advisers, sharing its thoughts, ideas and research on how it believes the future is shaping up.
Mr Lowe said: “These are exciting times, and we remain just as convinced as ever that our expertise creating modern, tailored, guaranteed-income solutions will be a foundation of advisers’ retirement planning for decades to come.”
“In such a competitive market, it is our people and their knowledge and efforts to support advisers that make a real difference.”
MetLife Europe: Our e-business is geared to pensions reform demands
With the guaranteed drawdown expected to surge following next year’s pensions freedom legislation, MetLife is gearing its service proposition to help advisers cope with demand.
Dominic Grinstead, managing director of MetLife UK, said the company was reaping the benefits of long-term investment in its service proposition which dated back to the launch of its Belfast administration hub in November 2012.
He said: “However, it’s the investment in our e-business capabilities that have really driven the service enhancements in 2014, and we are now providing quotes and valuations for guaranteed drawdown in our Retirement Portfolio. The managed roll-out of e-business is a great leap forward from last year.
