Standard Life e-commerce rated 'excellent'

Standard Life’s strength in delivering innovative and added value e-commerce solutions has been recognised again in the Financial Technology Research Centre (FTRC) 2008 ratings.

The much coveted triple e rating has been awarded to Standard Life Wrap, Standard Life Group Personal Pensions (new and existing business) and Standard Life Group SIPP. This is the third year in a row Standard Life’s Wrap platform has retained the ‘eee’ award since launching in May 2006, and is so far the only platform to have achieved a triple-e award from FTRC.

Mark Polson, head of communications, Standard Life Savings Limited commented, “The FTRC ratings provide an important and robust benchmarking tool. We’re delighted with our ‘eee’ hat trick as we’re absolutely confident in our vision for Wrap and its ability to help advisers change their business model to meet their own proposition and client relationship aspirations.”

“We invested heavily in 2007 developing solid foundations for the Wrap platform to ensure its strength for many years ahead. This, coupled with our thorough implementation support for advisers and continued controlled roll-out in 2008, will enable Standard Life to maintain leadership in this important market.”

Standard Life’s Wrap came top in eight areas of the survey including fact find, e-new business, client planning tools and two-way data exchange & client management system links.

Commenting on the ‘eee’ rating for Group Personal Pensions and SIPP, Garry Morrison, Customer Services Director, Standard Life said: “Standard Life’s top rating in this objective industry framework shows our commitment to delivering exceptional online services to support our key products.

“We recognised that adviser, employer and consumer expectations are very high and we have dedicated huge resource to our technology and service capability to ensure that these expectations are not only met but exceeded. We are continuing to develop our online offering including the extension of our Go Paperless pension statement initiative to include group personal pensions and individual pension customers.”

Ian McKenna, managing director, FTRC said, “Standard Life continues to be one of the most innovative providers when it comes to e-commerce services. Achieving the ‘eee’ ratings in each of these surveys, which are judged by measuring providers’ explicit delivery of services to meet priorities identified with leading adviser firms, shows the extent of their commitment to deliver services that advisers want.”