Financial planning software providerInvestment Data Technologies(IDT) is to outsource the training for its software platform to independent training organisationIntegratec, in an alliance announced today.
IDT will be the first of the major financial planning software suppliers to outsource its training to an external group. Clients of IDT’s software platforms include MLC and the National Australia Bank, and a number of large financial planning dealer groups who will make use of the Integratec training.
According to IDT Client Services manger Ian Caldwell-Smith, the outsourcing alliance with Integratec came about because of the number of software users.
“The main reason was the volume of training required with the sheer number of users. There are potentially about 1500 users including advisers and paraplanners,” Caldwell-Smith says.
Integratec were chosen as the training provider after IDT identified the strategic benefit of having training delivered by a group which also used the software. Integratec Paraplanning, formerly Paraplanning Professionals, are clients of IDT software.
News of the alliance coincides with IDT’s soon to be released Version 8 Objective Based Planning software, which is expected to be released in a few weeks time.
Caldwell-Smith says the outsourced training arrangement is a small part of a larger alliance expected to be announced by the group in about three weeks.
Integratec general manager John Prowse says the training of IDT software users is the next step for the group and a logical addition to its existing financial planning training.
“The combination of software and professional training will mean more efficient plan production for advisers and paraplanners, and quality documentation of the advice provided to clients,” he says.
