Designed to provide fast and easy access to e-commerce partners, date services and automatic program updates, 1st Services phase one launch includes automated access to data feeds from Financial Express and a new postcode look-up service.
The 1st Services portal is designed specifically to support users of Adviser Office who currently need to enter different log-in details and passwords to access its integrated e-commerce partners, such as fund supermarkets, provider extranets and data suppliers. When completed, the portal will allow users to have a single password and log-in for all online partners, giving faster access and enhanced connectivity. Importantly, this will also improve data quality, particularly for EDI commission matching and valuation services.
Paul Creamer, 1st chief technology officer, explains: “We are delighted to announce the completion of the first phase in our portal development with phase two following rapidly behind. The new portal will provide our 10,000 desktop software users with seamless, one-stop access to all our e-commerce partner services. Using our bulk purchasing power we will also be able to distribute data and price feeds via the portal at extremely competitive rates and in some cases, for free.”
Adviser Office is already the largest industry source for online valuations with 13 life offices and 7 fund supermarkets integrated with the system. A total of 66 e-business partners can be accessed via Adviser Office and on completion of the 1st Services portal, each of these will be accessible with just one password and log-in.
Ian Knipe, office manager of adviser firm, Goodman Craig Partnership, has already started benefiting from the first phase portal implementation, as he explains: "The new Financial Express price feed access through 1st Services is very effective. This service is saving us both time and resources, as the price feed itself is much quicker than it was previously and it also requires a lot less computer resource. In addition to this, we are finding that the fact that the price feed is now easily obtainable on a daily basis is improving the quality of the service we can provide to our clients."
