Womack’s systems upgrade increases staff efficiency

Investment adviser Jess Womack said her firm Plan Invest Group had beefed up its use of technology to cut costs.

The technology big bang at the Macclesfield-based firm allowed its four investment advisers to spend more time with clients and professional connections, said Womack. The new systems meant the firm, which has £100 million of assets under managements, was more centralised, she said.

‘We have enhanced our use of IT to use adviser time as best we can,’ said Womack. ‘I think using technology has made us more centralised.’

The IT upgrade had cut costs and made advisers more efficient, said Womack. ‘We have made a few changes in the year leading up to the Budget so we have not had to make any redundancies.’

Plan Invest Group banned paper from its office last May and was now making more use of its 1^st The Exchange software. Womack said the firm was working more closely with its platform Cofunds, with price feeds going direct into advisers’ computers.

Streamlining the firm’s administration had even given back office staff, she said. ‘Administrators have been freed up to do more marketing or mail drop for ISAs,’ she said.