XPLAN retains lead

XPLAN has recorded the highest level of satisfaction amongst planners for fully featured planning software for the third year running, according to results from the latest Investment Trends Planner Technology Report.

The report also found that Iress had increased its combined market share of adviser desktops from 15 per cent in 2006 to 50 per cent in 2007 following the recent acquisitions of PlanTech and VisiPlan.

Iress managing director Peter Dunai said the group’s acquisition of PlanTech and VisiPlan was the main reason for its strong growth.

“Our commitment to the wealth management space through acquisition and ongoing organic growth is clear,” he said.

“We see our scaled independent position as unique and appropriately placed to invest in both client-driven and industry solutions for the future.”

The report found advisers viewed ‘integration’ as the single biggest technology challenge facing their businesses, with the pre-population of forms by planning software viewed as the most desired integration improvement.

The report also noted the continuing trend for planners to favour Internet accessible storage of client data.

Investment Trends principal Mark Johnston said the number of planners who preferred client data to be stored locally had declined every year since 2004.

“The number of planners who would prefer to use planning software installed on their own computer had also declined from 42 per cent in 2005 to 27 per cent in 2007.”