A few weeks ago, we led our very first Launch Squad session with Radiant – the new-to-market consolidator and one of the latest firm to launch their own Seccl-powered platform.
The ‘Squad’ (which this time consisted of myself and senior account executive Annabel Melvin) visited Radiant’s offices over two days to introduce ourselves to the team and help ensure – you guessed it – a smooth platform launch.
One of the main complaints we hear from firms using third-party platform providers is about the number of touchpoints involved in solving a client query or problem when the platform is not their own (check out our recent whitepaper, which goes into a bit more detail on this and other common bugbears).
Ultimately, our Launch Squad sessions are designed to empower teams to solve these problems themselves, resulting in slicker operational processes and a customer journey that’s more in line with a firm’s own value set. Power to the people and all that!
About the “Launch Squad”
Whether you’re an advice firm taking the leap to operate your own platform, a new fintech offering, or a consolidator like Radiant, our Launch Squad Representatives are there to help you build rapport with our team, address any needs and challenges that arise before your platform goes live, and get your firm comfortable using our tech.
We know launching a platform can present a lot of challenges – and you’ll probably have questions about the process. So we want to make sure there are a few friendly faces you can rely on, whether that’s Annabel and me, or a mix of account execs, product managers, engineers and other members of the Seccl team.
At the risk of sounding like a corny customer service representative, we’re here to help :)
Breaking it down: how will the sessions look?
Even though these sessions will always be designed around you, and so each will look a little different depending on your needs, we do have a rough structure in mind when we make our first visit.
Typically, these sessions will take place over two to three days and are split into two parts. The first session will take place after you have signed agreements in place with us, and the second a little closer to your launch date.
Session one
Getting into specifics, the first session is designed to…
- Introduce you to your main points of contact (we’re glad to finally be able to do this face-to-face!)
- Find out how we can best meet your firm’s needs by understanding your pain points and objectives
- Help your team to understand our operational processes and how they’ll run on a day-to-day basis
- Give a detailed overview of the onboarding process – broken up into phases with key milestones and timeframes
- Work with paraplanners and/or admin staff to understand what features they may need when they go live
- Ensure your firm is aligned with how we work and address any sticking points
- Understand the nuances of your business, including how our technology can best serve your clients
Session two
We’ll have got to know each other a little better by this point, so this session is designed to help get your platform off the ground.
The second Launch Squad session will…
- Provide platform demos and final overviews – especially for more complex processes like re-registrations and the transferring of drawdown pensions
- Tackle any pain points and making sure there are no gaps when the platform goes live
- Reduce touchpoints during the process – helping to empower your firm to address your own needs and the needs of your clients
- Create slick flows and improve operational processes
- Make sure no stone is unturned for your big launch!
But nothing is fixed or unchangeable. We’re still iterating these sessions as we go (aren’t we always?!) and we’re more than happy to set the pace or be led by you.
Throughout all of this, we want to stress that you are the platform owner – we are here to empower you to self-serve when problems arise. However, we want you to know there is a friendly face or two should you need it.
How it went: our first Launch Squad with Radiant
Our first Launch Squad process with Radiant was really successful. It provided a great opportunity for us to sink our teeth into these sessions and find out what a firm really needs from us before and during a platform launch.
In the words of Radiant, the result was a platform that was “clean, user-friendly and easy to manouevre”. Happy days!
Hamish Warnock, Seccl’s Partner Launch Lead, says:
"While the decision to leave an existing platform and set up your own has many obvious benefits, we understand that it’s still a big decision. The Launch Squad, along with our extremely in-depth onboarding process, means we can provide comfort at all stages throughout the transition to a Seccl-powered platform.
“Being able to run these sessions face-to-face further cements our relationship with the new platform and means we can truly understand a firm’s motives, wants and needs before they go live. It’s a great process, and one we look forward to repeating with new firms using our technology.”
Ultimately, these Launch Squad sessions give us the opportunity to work closely with onboarding firms and help them service their clients better – which is, in the end, is what it’s all about.
Check out our recent webinar, “Meet Seccl’s Partner Launch Squad: helping you get your platform off the ground”, where Hamish and Calum spoke through the journey to becoming a live platform. They also provided a deep dive into Seccl’s onboarding process – including key milestones for setting up your platform, compliance and permissions, technical integrations, and ongoing support.