Answers in Retirement Group (Air Group) has introdcued a new version of its Air Sourcing platform for later life advisers.
Air Sourcing is a free platform for advisers to service their clients’ later life requirements via a new interface. It is now home to Air Group’s range of propositions including Air Mortgage Club, Air Later Life Academy, Air Packaging and Air Rewards allowing advisers to access all of these on the one system.
As part of its ongoing development of the system, Air Group have launched a fully-integrated API platform within Air Sourcing allowing lenders, when they are ready to plug in, to offer a full enquiry to completion/KFI/application process.
Advisers’ inputted data will move from one program to another without the need for multiple re-keying – the ability to enter data once means that, via the API, this will then be transferred immediately and seamlessly into a factfind, sourcing system, CRM system, application form, or wherever it is required.
Air Group says product sourcing on the platform now benefits from “vastly-improved” loading times, allowing advisers to have access to all products immediately and ensures that, through a significant set of new and existing product Research Filters, it allows them to filter out unsuitable products based on a range of criteria. This creates a shortlist of the best suited products with which to compare using its Total to Pay comparison. Air Group says this means the adviser is able to identify the most suitable and best value product first time.
The new version of Air Sourcing is introducing a number of further new and unique features including a ‘Near Miss’ function which shows the adviser better-priced products that may fall just outside their search criteria. It will also give advisers the ability to enter Aviva rates directly through the browser, with a view to automating the retrieval of Aviva rates via API connectivity in a future update. In addition, the system now allows users to compare the cost of products that allow repayments by entering the monthly payment contribution.
Air Sourcing is also adding a new level of CRM functionality to the platform, plus a range of new website calculators which advisers can add to their own websites in order to help with lead generation.
Stuart Wilson, chief executive officer of AIR Group, said: “Revamping and upgrading the Air Sourcing platform has been a major priority for us throughout 2019 and we are pleased to announce the new version of the system which now houses all our propositions under one roof.
“As an unbiased proposition, we are also launching the new, fully-integrated and truly-independent API platform within the system to cover all available retirement lenders ensuring advisers have access to the whole of market. This will not just allow our users to cut down significantly on their administration and rekeying, given that any inputted data allows them to obtain their KFI quickly, but also means the data can now be moved seamlessly into any other system.
“Overall, this is about ensuring Air Sourcing is constantly evolving to meet ever-changing adviser and client needs; the slickness and use-ability of the system has been enhanced plus we want to ensure that advisers are making the most of their later life propositions, especially when it comes to securing the right product for their clients first time, every time. It’s also important for us to support advisers’ lead generation activities in this area and the ability to use our calculators on their own websites could well drive traffic and interested individuals there.
“2020 will bring even further enhancements and updates to the system, all designed to support advisers in offering the best possible outcomes for their customers. This is market-leading technology that is absolutely free, and should be a must for any adviser or firm active – or wishing to be active – within the later life space.”