At first glance, business for North American asset managers has been good over the past few years. Total assets under management (AUM) rose from $29 trillion in 2012 to around $42 trillion in 2013, well above the pre-crisis highs of 2007. With continued support from the Federal Reserve’s eased monetary policies and overall market appreciation, the 2014 results for North American asset managers will undoubtedly be even higher.
But it’s not all sunshine and blue skies in the asset management world. For one, the Federal Reserve is hinting that it may begin to tighten its policies, which could tamp down growth in 2015 and beyond. Then there’s the six-year run of the current bull market, which will not last forever. These and other financial/economic issues will impact the markets sooner or later. In the meantime, however, asset management firms are facing a host of challenges that are much closer to the here and now:
- Figuring out how to better handle their increasingly sophisticated, informed and demanding clients
- Maintaining smooth and efficient operations, even as they incorporate growing rosters of more complex investment products and services
- Adhering to changing compliance rules and managing their cost and complexity
- Controlling operating costs, which have risen dramatically over the past few years (especially in sales and marketing)
Amid these issues and challenges, asset managers must find ways to achieve their long-standing goals: capturing flows and attracting new money, growing their AUM totals, and protecting their margins.
To meet these goals and grow their businesses, asset managers’ first order of business is to deliver solid investment performance. After all, when asset managers don’t put up good numbers, it’s very difficult for them to do anything else. But aside from their investment activities, one of the most important things for asset managers to focus on is the experience they are providing for their clients. Creating a superior client experience and delivering it consistently is critically important.
Among the many technologies that support client communications, sales enablement solutions are rapidly emerging as a necessity for shaping and enhancing the client experience. But what is it about these solutions that make them a necessity for asset management firms? Download our free guide below to find out what sales enablement means for asset management firms, and how these solutions can give firms a real competitive advantage.
