2017 has been another fantastic year for the Dynamic Planner service. These are just some of the highlights.

 

440,000

Dynamic Planner broke all records this year – including the highest number of users, the highest number of end investors advised (440,000) in a year, the greatest use of the iPad/iPhone app and the highest number of cases and value of recommendations (£300 million+) in a single month. Dynamic Planner also got a very strong review in Rory Percival’s review in September. We continued to make great strides towards our vision of customers achieving their goals at a level of risk that’s right for them and our mission to be advisers’ #1 service for ensuring investment suitability.

 

AccessAdvice

We launched AccessAdvice, the automated advice service for firms at our largest ever annual conference in March. Well received by firms there are a good number live successfully giving independent, regulated advice on ISAs up and down the country and increasing access to their own advice. New firms are going live every month helping to close their own and the country’s advice gap.

 

1,200 Funds and Model Portfolios

2017 was the year that risk targeting really took off. The IA introduced a new Volatility Managed sector and funds targeting Dynamic Planner’s risk profiles are now more than 50% of assets in it. Risk targeting will become even more popular with MiFID II being implemented in a few days as it helps ensure ongoing suitability. More than 1,200 funds and model portfolios were profiled at the end of 2017.

 

Catching the FinTech Wave

In October I published Catching the FinTech Wave my first book on how FinTech can help firms grow their productivity, reduce their risk and increase access to their advice.

 

£6,000.00

The Dynamic Planner team raised over £6,000 for charities during the year including donations for the book, climbing mount Helvellyn (for Cascaid Cancer Research), Macmillan coffee mornings and bake sales, supporting the local Reading Food Bank and children’s hospital. In the summer we hosted local sixth formers from local schools talking to them about careers in tech.

 

Feedback

Following extensive market and customer research, we held our company offsite in the summer to discuss our plans. On a lovely hot day by the side of the Thames clients and partners came and barbequed with us, some Skyped in, to talk to our team of 70. It was hugely beneficial to get feedback directly for all in the team. Our products and services are benefiting as a result.

 

Reporting

A gem from the research showed us that reporting is absolutely key to advisers and firms in helping demonstrate the value they bring, so we invested in a refresh programme for Dynamic Planner reporting. At this point, we’re halfway through and the feedback has been outstanding. The investment process is core to our clients and we have a whole stack of important developments planned for 2018.

 

Schroders

We worked with Schroders to launch the Schroder – Dynamic Planner funds, giving active access to our asset allocations and risk profiles from a great manager where we have representation on their investment committee and provide enhanced reporting. Part of the risk target managed community, they offer great value for money.

 

Training Academies

We launched our Training Academies offering training and latest updates on Dynamic Planner to a hugely positive response from clients in the autumn. 8 roadshows up and down the country were fully booked within 3 days! We are running another series in 2018 and we are thinking hard about how to grow the format so more firms can access.

 

Internal Processes

2017 was a great year for upgrading internal systems and processes and support for our team including introducing a new intranet, Yammer, Perkbox, and a whole range of other initiatives which the world outside Dynamic Planner will never see but which help the team in Reading enjoy day to day life developing and delivering great Dynamic Planner services.

 

Thank you

A huge thank you to our clients and partners for your support over 2017. We look forward to working with you all to help ensure investment suitability and the prosperity of your businesses in 2018 and beyond.

Thank you also to the Dynamic Planner team, whose commitment and hard work continues to make all this happen.

 

Ben Goss CEO, Dynamic Planner