Tool Combines Outlook With Planning
AdviceAmerica, based in Fremont, Calif., has launched a Web-based client relationship management tool that allows advisors to extend Microsoft Outlook 2007 so that they can access clients' contact and financial information at the same time.
ClientVision allows advisors to access clients' portfolios, goals, financial documents and activity history while in Outlook. The tool, aimed at independent and small-office advisors, essentially extends any client Outlook contact record with an additional menu bar that provides access to financial data and reports.
"Advisors need immediate access to relevant information to effectively manage client relationships," says Purna Pareek, AdviceAmerica's CEO. Our research shows a majority of independent advisors use Outlook as their primary customer relationship tool, and ClientVision provides access to financial information without loading a separate application. Integrated applications are the key to greater advisor productivity."
ClientVision gives advisors the ability to collect account data from sources such as Albridge, Pershing, TD Ameritrade and DST in real time and to upload client documents to a document vault. Important client details entered by any advisory team members are kept up to date in Outlook from a centralized ClientVision data repository.
Additional infor-mation can be found at www.adviceamerica.com/Clientvision.
Genworth Creates New Platform
Genworth Financial Investment Services is launching a fee-based money management platform, Managed Wealth ADVANTAGE, featuring flexible portfolio modeling.
The program provides financial advisors with a choice of 150 mutual funds from more than 60 fund families that can be blended in a single account for an advisor's client.
Morningstar Adds Indexes
Morningstar Inc. is launching a family of asset allocation indexes designed to benchmark target-date and target-risk investment products.
The Morningstar Lifetime Allocation series consists of 13 target-date indexes, each of which is available in conservative, moderate and aggressive profiles. The allocations adjust over time by reducing equity exposure and shifting toward income-producing investments.
The Morningstar Target Risk Index series has five asset allocation indexes that span the risks spectrum using asset allocation methodology from Ibbotson Associates.
PIMCO Launches Global Fund
PIMCO, an investment management firm in Newport Beach, Calif., is launching the PIMCO Global Advantage Strategy Bond Fund to help fixed-income investors take advantage of the dramatic shifts in the global economy. Additional information can be found at www.pimcoindex.com.
ETF Will Track Colombian Market
The FTSE Group, a global index provider based in New York City, is licensing GlobalX Management Co. to create a new ETF based on the FTSE Colombia 20 Index.
The ETF will be the first in the U.S. to track the index, which represents the performance of the top 20 stocks, ranked by liquidity, then size, in Colombia, one of the world's fastest-growing emerging markets. Additional information can be found at www.ftse.com.
Direxion Adds Alternative Funds
Direxion Funds, a provider of alternative investment strategies based in Boston, is launching two new mutual funds. The Direxion Financial Trends Strategy Fund and Direxion/Wilshire Dynamic Fund use long-term planning but take into account short-term and medium-term events to help guard against today's volatile markets. The Financial Trends fund uses financial and currency futures in eight global sectors. The Direxion/Wilshire fund uses a traditional strategic asset allocation model.
Fidelity Program Helps Advisors Start RIA Firms
Fidelity Investments has introduced a new program to help RIAs hire, develop and retain highly productive employees. The program also was designed to help brokers looking to establish their own RIA firms develop effective talent management policies and procedures as they transition to independence.
Fidelity Advisor HR Solutions offers consulting services and training programs for management development, team-building and organizational effectiveness. The program also includes a new Web site that features more than 40 planning resources, tools and white papers.