Blog
Re-empowering the disenfranchised: at what cost?
It comes as no surprise and, indeed, has been recognised by many, including the FCA, that the Retail Distribution Review (RDR) has left a group of consumers bereft of access to financial advisers and therefore financial advice.
Where next for the hard-pressed pension investor?
The latest budget sees another attack on the pension savers of middle England by dint of yet a further reduction in the lifetime allowance. On top of this, pension tax relief is also very much in the firing line. Different and radical proposals are emerging from each of the major political parties in the run-up to the election.
Benchmarking – you won’t see the bumps in the road ahead if you’re looking into the rear-view mirror
Many, if not most, outsourcing contracts now include benchmarking clauses, giving the client an opportunity to compare how their supplier is performing against the market from both a cost and service perspective after a specified length of time.
Some people like change. Most don’t.
The key drivers for change in our industry have remained constant for a number of years; regulation, cost-control, operational efficiency and the need to stay ahead of one’s competitors. In addition there are a multitude of organisation-specific reasons for implementing change, meaning change is something that all organisations have to deal with, and for many it seems like it is constant.
Outsourcing – ‘Why Worry About The Other Guy?’
There have been examples of outsource arrangements that have terminated when they need not have done. They represent relationship and commercial failure. One mark of a win:win arrangement is one in which the parties can innovate together. Not many actually do that effectively even when the opportunity is there, so why not?
The end of the AMC is nigh…. (and probably not before time!)
The ubiquity of the annual management charge (AMC) has permeated throughout the Life, Pensions & Funds Universe since my initiation into the Industry some twenty-five years ago.