Wealth Management

Not all investment is the same. Sometimes you have to invest to save

Published

9 months ago

January 12, 2023

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By Paul Sparkes, Commercial Director of award-winning accounting software developer, iplicit.

In a recession, everybody becomes more conscious of costs. It’s only sensible to scrutinise all an organisation’s outgoings.

But there’s a danger that caution can turn into spending resistance – even when wise investment would increase revenue and cut costs, this is often the case when considering digital transformation and upgrading from a legacy system to a modern-day cloud offering.

Have you added up the cost of doing nothing?

To fully understand what the system is costing, there are many factors to be considered and some are easier to quantify than others.

But what else are you paying out for? There are costs which can be easily accounted for, which might be overlooked. If the current system is ‘on-premise’ – where data and storage are on servers within the organisation’s own property – then there will be times when money needs to be spent upgrading and maintaining those servers.

What are the costs of inefficiencies in the current system?

Are there manual processes that could be automated? Are staff spending valuable time every month on data entry because the information in one part of the system doesn’t automatically appear where it is needed?

If so, that’s a significant waste of time and money that could be eliminated.

What is the cost of not having real-time information? If there are lags in a system which is supposed to tell managers how a department or the organisation is performing, that can add to costs in time spent trying to find key business information.

The key question organisations should be asking not just their finance teams, but the wider workforce, is how long does it take to find a piece of information in your current finance system?

If departments require timely information but can’t get it, or have to wait for the finance team to provide it, then there is clearly scope for a return on some judicious spending.

Where will you see the return on investment straight away?

Long-term payoffs are fine, but in times of recession, organisations will naturally be happier if their investment shows obvious returns from day one.

A wise investment in accounting software which helps to automate processes should reap immediate benefits.

If your finance team have been spending a lot of their time on routine tasks because your software doesn’t automate those actions, then they should be freed up straight away to concentrate on higher-value work.

It should also be possible to see some quick wins if the new system integrates with your other software through an open Application Programming Interface (API). The software can pull information from the different systems that handle such tasks as invoicing, time sheets or expenses.

The benefits of real-time information should also become clear quickly. A manager who has up-to-date data at their fingertips is able to take action to promptly manage costs and improve performance in their department.

Some of the longer-term returns

All the above benefits will continue – and multiply – as the months and years go on.

For example, the process of report writing in an organisation can go from taking weeks to taking hours, giving a typical organisation up to four weeks a month back and saving the cost of at least one person who no longer has to be focused on mundane duties. Allowing them to be deployed to something more useful and valuable.

That investment in automation and integration should pay off when audit time comes around.

If an organisation can demonstrate the controls that are in place to ensure accuracy in a group’s accounts, that could halve the amount of expensive auditor time necessary for the process.

In addition, smart investment can see longer-term benefits in areas such as:

Staff satisfaction/well-being – it costs a lot to replace a member of the finance team who has become exasperated at having to use software that’s not up to the job.

Software that works for the user, rather than the other way round, will make a lot of people’s working lives less stressful by taking care of many of the more mundane tasks, it should make people happier by releasing them to do more interesting work.

Debt collection – this becomes all the more important in times of recession and is greatly aided by good software. The right software can deliver accurate, real-time information to the credit control team, and in a group of companies, it makes clear how exposed the organisation is to any one customer.
The system can automatically send reminders to debtors, and even take different approaches with different kinds of customers.
Supporting growth – as the organisation grows, the returns on investment accumulate.

If a business doubles in size over the next few years, through organic growth or acquisition, that should not mean the finance team has to double in size as well. A scalable finance system can take that strain instead.

Having a finance system that can deal with currencies and entities in other countries will also bring substantial payoffs for international growth.

Adding up the returns on investment

Whether you want to look at the short-term or long-term, the returns on investment in accountancy software should be clear and worthwhile.

Some are easy to quantify, while some are much harder. In fact, those unquantifiable returns on investment – improved morale, reduced turnover and a more outward-looking organisation – can be the biggest returns of them all.

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Exploring the Transformative Potential and Ethical Challenges of AI in Wealth Management

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2023

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Nuno Godinho, Group CEO of Industrial Thought Group

In recent years, the advent of AI has sparked both excitement and scrutiny within the Wealth Management industry. The technology’s capabilities, including but certainly not limited to generative AI algorithms like ChatGPT, offer a new dimension to data analysis, market prediction, and portfolio management. However, while it presents a promising avenue for enhancing decision-making and elevating client interaction, AI also carries inherent challenges that demand careful consideration.

Benefits of AI in Wealth Management:

In a world where CX is key, AI enables wealth managers to provide personalised advice, improved portfolio performance, real-time insights, and convenient access to information and support. Previously it has been impossible for advisors to deliver hyper-personalisation at scale; now, AI-driven customisation lets them tailor investment strategies and recommendations to their clients’ unique financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon.

AI algorithms can also analyse vast amounts of data to identify trends and opportunities, resulting in potentially higher returns on investments. And, more widespread use of automation will gradually reduce the cost of wealth management services, meaning higher-quality investment advice at a lower price. This is critical as firms fight to stay relevant for modern investors disillusioned by traditional advisory firms and private banks.

Relationship-wise, there are many other advantages. AI-driven data analytics make it easier to gain a deeper understanding of an investor’s needs, preferences, and behaviours, all of which help to build long-term relationships. Through predictive analytics, firms can differentiate their service and proactively identify new investment opportunities, such as emerging market trends or underperforming assets. At the same time, chatbots and virtual assistants facilitate constant communication to answer queries and increase engagement. By strategically integrating AI technology into their operations, firms have the power to optimise top and bottom lines, strengthen client connections and position themselves for long-term growth.

Navigating the Ethical and Practical Challenges:

While AI holds remarkable potential, major obstacles must be overcome. With AI’s reliance on large amounts of data, ensuring client data confidentiality, managing consent, and complying with global data protection regulations like GDPR are significant challenges. Another issue is algorithmic bias – as AI learns from data, it may inadvertently perpetuate inequalities or biases present in the training datasets used. Vigilance is necessary to ensure that AI systems don’t amplify these issues. A key concern is the absence of standard governance, leading to a lack of accountability and transparency. Black-box algorithms can make decisions without providing clear explanations for their reasoning, making it difficult for clients and regulators to understand and trust AI-driven outcomes. Overall, the responsibility for AI-generated recommendations remains complex, requiring collaborative efforts to establish robust regulatory frameworks.

Striving for Data Integrity and Reliability:

The efficacy of AI-driven solutions hinges on the quality of training dataset they are supplied with and rely upon. Therefore, ensuring accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive datasets is paramount to generating trustworthy insights. The absence of standardised data sharing can lead to skewed results, ultimately impacting the quality of AI-generated advice. Transparency in data usage, validation, and generation reasoning will be pivotal to cultivating client trust and minimising systemic risks, which ties back to the absence of standard governance, as the output from AI-generated advice will only be as good as the data sets provided. We need to understand the “lineage” of all data used and generated by the algorithms. Until the industry can come to some accord on how we plan to use all of our respective data, it will be prone to various biases and fragmented advice, which will lead to liability and reliability issues down the line. It’s worthwhile wondering whether we can see the industry opening up in an age of data equals value.

The Role of Collaborative Partnerships:

Amidst these challenges, collaborative partnerships emerge as a potent avenue. Established wealth management firms can harness the expertise of FinTech AI companies to augment their capabilities while mitigating the risks associated with AI adoption. A symbiotic relationship, where innovative AI solutions are developed by trusted partners, helps safeguard against potential pitfalls and aligns with the pursuit of ethical, data-driven decision-making.

Looking Ahead: Striking a Balance for Sustainable Progress:

As we journey into the AI-powered future of wealth management, it’s evident that a balanced approach is essential. The integration of AI has the potential to expedite the transition to wealth management 4.0, revolutionising personalised client experiences and advisory services. However, this progress must be underpinned by clear ethical guidelines, data integrity, and collaborative partnerships. Striking this equilibrium promises not only a more informed, efficient, and personalised industry but also one that upholds the principles of transparency, accountability, and client trust.

In conclusion, AI’s impact on the wealth and asset management landscape is profound, offering unparalleled insights and opportunities. While navigating challenges will be crucial, a collective effort to harness AI’s power while ensuring its responsible application will pave the way for a resilient, future-forward industry.

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Can AI revolutionise wealth management?

Published

2 days ago

September 26, 2023

admin

~ The benefits of AI when collecting and analysing financial data ~

Global fintech company Finder reported that around two in five people in the UK (42 per cent) currently invest, whether it’s in stocks and shares, funds or properties. Younger people are particularly interested in investing, with 60 per cent of members of Gen Z saying they have invested before. Data plays a pivotal role in managing these investments, according to Finder’s report. So how can wealth management companies streamline data collection, analysis and management? Here Alex Luketa, partner at artificial intelligence (AI) data management specialist Xerini, explores how wealth management companies can benefit from AI.

Wealth management firms collect various types of data to effectively manage their client’s portfolios. Data helps these companies understand their clients’ particular situations, goals, any risks and investment preferences. Finance managers can also analyse market trends, portfolio risks and other factors to make investment decisions and protect their clients.

Effectively managing this data can be difficult, particularly when it’s stuck in different systems and formats, meaning finance managers must use spreadsheets to consolidate everything they need. Building a data warehouse that copies all the data from systems across the business into one platform can resolve this issue, but it can also be a time-consuming and complex process. Putting the data in one place takes time and the copying process is only updated periodically, meaning that users cannot always access the most up-to-date information.

Streamlining data management

Proper data management is key to building trust with clients, keeping their data confidential, providing the best advice and maintaining integrity of the process. As a result, to remain competitive, wealth management companies should consider how they can streamline data management.

When planning to improve operations, wealth management companies should look at where they can make the most valuable gains. For example, the more time finance managers are spending rifling through different systems to find what they need and filling in spreadsheets, the less they can focus on sharing valuable advice with clients. So, how can they more effectively carry out these processes?

Enter artificial intelligence

Some businesses use data warehousing as a data management strategy, but this requires an expert to copy all the necessary information. While warehousing results in more accurate data, creating it is a time consuming process and periodic batch processing makes it difficult to see the most up-to-date information. Alternatively, more businesses are exploring how AI tools like ChatGPT can deliver business value in a range of applications and industries, including wealth management.

A cloud-based, AI management system centralises data across different systems and provides businesses with the ability to review and report on real-time metrics quickly and efficiently. Unlike warehouses, a cloud-based system leaves data where it is, hosting the information on one interface rather than splitting it between different systems, rapidly reducing the time required for reporting and data management.

Wealth management firms will deal with convoluted and diversified portfolios stored across various systems. Cloud-based data management systems, such as Xefr, are built to have one unified interface that can offer a single, comprehensive view of each portfolio, ensuring more informed decision-making. Additionally, to help better personalise investment strategies, systems like Xefr can convert complex datasets into valuable insights. With interactive querying, the firm can quickly access factors such as market trends, client risk appetite and portfolio performance to create customised advice.

Talk to your data

Interpreting complex data sets is not simple, meaning these platforms may not make it easier for everyone in the business to find and analyse the data they need. However, by integrating large language models (LLMs), businesses can create interactive interfaces that any user can confidently navigate. For example, by training the system on relevant prompts using natural language, users can ask questions of their data. Users can describe what they want the report to look like and the data it needs, and build a dashboard.

At a glance, users can interrogate existing client data alongside information such as market trends and risk to provide more effective advice without the need to rifle through manually-made reports. This means team members can spend the time saved on reporting on more valuable tasks.

Overcoming AI barriers

Businesses that are willing to rapidly adopt emerging technologies like AI could see significant benefits in automating laborious tasks, such as reducing costs and improving data integrity. While many businesses may see the potential gains, it is understandable that some are apprehensive.

When new technologies are introduced that automate tasks, some team members may be cautious that they will be replaced. In reality, AI still needs human input to interpret information and provide valuable prompts. Also, looking back at previous innovations, the computer nor the internet replaced us, they enhanced people’s work — AI is predicted to do the same.

Wealth management businesses handle confidential client information on finances, personal details and more. Using open platforms like ChatGPT raises privacy concerns, with a lot of data and queries being visible to software developers. Building a private platform with natural language processing capabilities enables wealth management businesses to ensure privacy, and developers can build barriers around data sets to ensure only authorised users can access private data.

As more people explore the benefits of investing, wealth management firms are looking at how they can improve efficiency, reduce costs and remain competitive. Developing a cloud-based data management system and leveraging AI allows businesses to streamline reporting, which frees up valuable time and provides more visibility for making decisions based on data. It also enables users to converse with their data, better understanding how they can use all the information at their disposal to provide a competitive edge to client portfolios.