Current Utext™ Developments
Utext™ is currently in the setup phase with the AstuteSMS™
system and will be launching more aggressively with other initiatives into
the market in the next few months. With the objective of
providing “cost effective information when you want it, where you want
it” Utext™ will focus on designing and developing
mobile systems for organisations with a mobile workforce (sales, service,
inspectors, etc) who can increase their effectiveness in the field with
access to an existing computer system or data source.
Astute basics for non- Astute users
Many software tools developed for the
financial intermediary are over complex and cumbersome. The intermediary
needs tools to speed up the sales cycle and ensure that he or she remains
compliant with relevant legislation. This includes doing a proper
“Discovery exercise’ on an existing portfolio. The Life Assurance
industry and the Life Offices Association (LOA) developed the Astute
information switch specifically for this purpose. Intermediaries to a
large extent no longer have to deal with multiple call centres, delays,
and diverse reporting formats.
Starting with principals, Liberty, Old
Mutual and Sanlam, the Astute website offers the majority of Life and Risk
products from nine companies ( Liberty, Old Mutual, Sanlam, Sage,
Metropolitan, Momemtum, Discovery Life, Liberty Active, Capital
Alliance). Astute has also
started to provide unit trust portfolio valuations, with daily
revaluations available for many Sanlam Unit trusts and Old Mutual Unit
Trusts. More are expected to follow in the near future.
Only licensed intermediaries on the LOA
register are permitted to use the service. They must be in possession of a
mandate from the client that authorises them to access the client’s Life
Assurance or Investment Portfolio. Each time the Astute website or
AstuteSMS™ is accessed the
intermediary declares that he or she is in possession of such a mandate.
AstuteSMS™ is an extension of the Astute website aimed at the
very mobile intermediary as well as the intermediary or agent without
ready access to the website.
The AstuteSMS™ service
The AstuteSMS™ system has recently completed
its
Pilot phase, with a select group of invited intermediaries taking part in
a Focus group. With feedback from these focus groups the final touches
will be added to the system before general market release in August 2005.
Intermediaries
(Brokers, agents, advisors) interested in using the AstuteSMS™ service
should log onto the www.AstuteFSE.com
website to ensure their current cell phone number is registered on their
user profile and that all contact details are up to date. You can request
priority access to AstuteSMS once it is launched, by sending an email to
info@utext.co.za
If
you are not currently subscribing to the Astute website service we
recommend that you contact the Astute helpdesk to ascertain what is
required to become a subscriber.
Call Centre No: 011 369
0401
Finance Dept No: 011 369
0403
Office Tel. No: 011 369
0400
Office Fax. No: 086 670
0041
When the system is launched, registration will require two simple
steps:
(NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL DATE OF LAUNCH)
a)
Log onto www.AstuteFSE.com
(you will have to be registered and have signed the necessary
documentation), check that the cell phone number is the one you wish to
authorise (or change it in the profile), read the declaration agreement,
and check the authorisation box.
b)
Send an SMS to 33351 to link the phone to your
Astute user and set up your default email and fax details. e.g. SMS Utext
Astuteuser xxxxx Demail yyy@url.co.za
DFax 0219903555 making sure you enter the correct Astute user id for xxxxx
and use a valid email address and fax number (without spaces or
separators)
If you lose your cell phone or have it stolen
you can at any time block access by logging onto www.AstuteFSE.com and
de-selecting the authorisation box. If you find the phone or replace it
you again use the simple two step process above.
if you believe you can assist with the Pilot
or would like to be part of our workshops (Cape Town based) to help refine
the output please contact us at info@utext.co.za
and we will be in touch with you.
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