WELCOME TO SESAME,THE UK S LEADING NETWORK

Transcription

1 WELCOME TO SESAME,THE UK S LEADING NETWORK

2 2 BE BETTER PLACED FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE UK S LEADING NETWORK.

3 3 SESAME HAS BEEN PROVIDING ADVISERS WITH PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR LONGER THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE BUSINESS. WHETHER IT BE IN INVESTMENT AND PENSIONS, MORTGAGES OR GENERAL INSURANCE, YOU HAVE THE SECURITY OF KNOWING THAT SESAME HAS THE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS. ABOUT US Sesame advisers benefit from our standing within the financial service industry. We fight your corner, influence providers and government, and always provide you with the very best products, rates and services. With Sesame, you can look forward to practical support that s built around your business. Of course, we offer an array of core regulatory services but we also provide a range of business development and income generating tools as well as a comprehensive learning and development programme to ensure you are able to achieve the required professional standards. HANDS ON SUPPORT You ll find there s no shortage of specialists at Sesame, committed to help and support your business. From our independent research team to our award winning telephone contact centre, we re on hand to help you. We have a team of Business Managers based around the country who will support you throughout the joining process and be on hand to answer any queries you might have. They are supported by a dedicated membership application team to ensure your transition in to the network is as smooth as possible. In short, Sesame can give you access to the sort of knowledge and expertise generally only available to the country s largest firms, leaving you to focus on what you do best running your business. ADDED STRENGTH Furthermore as part of the Sesame Bankhall Group, we have the best possible platform and infrastructure to deliver the support and security advisers need, now and long into the future. The largest distributor of financial services in the UK; First choice for over 11,000 advisers in the UK; Winner of a host of industry awards including Best IFA Network 2011 and best Mortgage Network 2012; A subsidiary, of FTSE-100 company Friends Life; The largest intermediary distributor of mortgages in the UK. Representing a 13% share of the entire UK mortgage market and a 27% share of the intermediary mortgage market; Profitable and well capitalised, with approximately 5 x the FSA capital adequacy requirement; Sesame holds its commission account in trust away from the assets of the company guaranteeing payment in any circumstances.

4 4 YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR CHOICE THE RETAIL DISTRIBUTION REVIEW HAS CREATED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR ADVISERS IN RECENT TIMES, AS FIRMS COME TO TERMS WITH A DIFFERENT WAY OF WORKING WITH THEIR CLIENTS AND RUNNING THEIR BUSINESSES. Whatever you decide for the future of your business you will need to make changes, whether you wish to remain independent or to advise on a more restricted basis you will need to adapt to a new world. As you make the decisions that affect the very nature of your business, you need the reassurances that your network or service provider can evolve with you: YOU NEED Security and leadership, with commitments to make investments in the future to ensure you have the support and infrastructure you need to grow and prosper; Reputation and experience of running a core IFA support business with a commitment to evolve to support an evolving model, as well as the ability to adapt to new models that may be appropriate; Ask yourself where you want your business to go and whether you can get there with your current network of service provider if not, then its time for a change. LEADING THE WAY As the UK s leading network, we can offer you real choice not matched anywhere else in the marketplace: Independent we remain committed to supporting those wishing to remain independent and will ensure you are able to advise and prosper under the new requirements; Restricted we can offer you a best of breed restricted model, consisting of a unique choice and extension of brands from leading providers and bespoke products, brought to market via leading technology, with deep integration to support all product areas; Hybrid we are the only business able to offer you a combination of Independent and Restricted under the same roof, allowing you to tailor your service depending on client needs. If you d like to discuss your options with one of our experienced business managers call us today on or visit for more information.

5 5 WHY SESAME? COMPREHENSIVE COMPLIANCE SUPPORT We ve been dealing with regulatory issues for over twenty years and compliance is one of our core competencies, so you know that as a Sesame Adviser you will be in safe hands. Whether you specialise or provide a holistic financial planning service, we can provide expert regulatory guidance across all product areas. This support is available to you through the website, our phone-based teams and our team of field specialists. INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE We take compliance so seriously that we have recently made a multimillion pound investment in our compliance infrastructure and developed a single Compliance IT platform which gives our advisers a more efficient and transparent approach to the way in which they manage their regulatory risks. Our Insight system delivers the firm a single view of their regulatory risks and performance, along with greater flexibility as to how and when they access important data. Ultimately we are committed to helping you meet your compliance needs in the most efficient way possible. COMPLIANCE SUPPORT INCLUDES: Induction Training The Adviser Induction courses introduce advisers to Sesame s advice process, procedures and services. There are three courses a four day DI, Mortgage and GI course, a two-day Mortgage and GI course and a one-day GI course. Regulatory Interpretation, Guidance and Advice Sesame provides full support and guidance to member firms to assist them in meeting their obligations under the Financial Services & Markets Act 2000 (and any subsequent amendments or replacement legislation). The Compliance Manual is available on the Sesame website. This manual comprises Sesame s interpretation of the actions member firms need to take in order to meet their regulatory requirements. It is regularly updated in line with FSA or Sesame changes. Case Checking General case checks are conducted throughout the year, with the case findings being distributed by . The findings are then used to produce action or development plans as appropriate. Where there are significant gaps, a Network Supervisor will visit to support you addressing these. A number of cases are selected across the scope of the advisers authorisations. Additional desk based case checking is also carried out for compliance themes which focus on higher risk or higher profile advice areas, for advisers who require additional support and for Specialist business. Regulatory Reviews A regulatory review is a retrospective examination of a particular area of business that a firm has conducted, required by the Regulator. The aim is to check whether the business has been conducted to the required standard and, where not, to determine and implement an appropriate form of redress. Such reviews may be targeted on particular firms or be industry wide. Business Monitoring Unit The Business monitoring unit reviews and provides timely feedback to help keep your suitability reports in good shape. Network Supervision Based around the country our team of Network Supervisors offers guidance and assistance in matters relating to regulatory guidelines. All advisers receive an annual compliance visit from a Network Supervisor to review compliance with Sesame s Training & Competence scheme and to review the findings from BMU checks. A short questionnaire is provided ahead of contact from a Network Supervisor to help you assess where any gaps are in your controls. All actions set by Network Supervisors will be recorded in your Risk Mitigation Programme (RMP). This document will form a single record of all compliance actions throughout your time with the network. Training and Competence Sesame provides a Training and Competence Scheme that covers DI, Mortgages and GI. It outlines the requirements in relation to recruitment, training, attaining and maintaining competence, supervision and monitoring, and record keeping. Complaint Handling Complaints that member firms receive from customers are thoroughly investigated by Sesame in line with FSA requirements. Complaints must be investigated within stringent timescales laid down by the FSA and Sesame will deal with all contact with the Financial Ombudsman Service and Professional Indemnity Insurers. Advertising Approvals This specialist service involves checking and approving all financial promotions against FSA rules prior to publication, ensuring they are clear, fair and not misleading. Financial promotions include: adverts, mailshots, presentations, direct offers and websites. It also includes your stationery set of: Letterhead, facsimile, compliments slip, business cards and footer. Platform Compliance Support Sesame provides a compliance training and accreditation process to all advisers using platforms, in order to assist you in acquiring the relevant knowledge to provide advice compliantly when using platforms or wraps. To find out more about our award winning platform Sesame One please visit or request a copy of our Group Brochure by ing one@sesame.co.uk.

6 6 INDUSTRY RENOWNED RESEARCH SESAME RESEARCH IS A SEAMLESS EXTENSION TO YOUR BUSINESS. IT SAVES YOU TIME AND MONEY AND BOOSTS THE QUALITY AND VALUE OF SERVICE YOU PROVIDE TO YOUR CLIENTS. BY CALLING OUR RESEARCH TEAM,YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PROVE TO THE REGULATOR, AND TO YOUR CLIENTS,THAT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON CONSIDERED, IMPARTIAL AND EXPERT RESEARCH. HOW DOES IT WORK? Sesame Research provides details of the products and funds available to advisers, identifying those that it recommends members use when giving advice to clients. The service covers all life, pension and investment products available in the UK to the IFA market. Assessments of products take account of a number of factors including, where appropriate, investment performance, financial strength, charges, product flexibility, service, claims paying record, quality of cover, cost and projected surrender or transfer terms. SUPPORT IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY The Technical Helpline gives members the opportunity to talk to the Research team to understand why products and funds have or have not been recommended. Member firms can also tap into the knowledge and experience of the Research team to help place difficult or complex cases or for support on Trust and Taxation issues. OR A MOUSE CLICK! The Research website provides advisers with access to pages of upto-date information, including research bulletins, new product fact sheets and the recommended product list, all of which help member firms to provide a better service to clients. KEEPING YOU UP TO DATE Research Bulletins and New Product Fact Sheets are a core element of the research service. Research Bulletins offer in-depth analysis of market and industry topics to keep advisers abreast of market movements and the key developments within the industry. New Product Fact Sheets contain full analysis and expert opinions on each product launched into the intermediary market.

7 7 MARKET LEADING MORTGAGE SERVICES AS THE LARGEST INTERMEDIARY DISTRIBUTOR OF MORTGAGES AND WINNER OF BEST MORTGAGE NETWORK 2012 ADVISERS NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN SESAME TO SUPPORT THEIR MORTGAGE BUSINESS. Mortgage compliance service: We offer online how to guides, standard forms and templates and a telephone helpdesk to answer specific compliance questions. We also provide a 2-day induction course for new mortgage and GI recruits. Mortgage helpdesk: you will have access to a dedicated mortgage team, trained to handle your enquiries quickly and efficiently. Mortgage seminars: We host regular seminars covering product innovations, new technologies and emerging sales opportunities. The events feature round table discussions and presentations from leading lenders and providers. Packager panel: Members of Sesame s packager panel are committed to offering an enhanced service to help you to meet your regulatory requirements and ease your administrative burden. Plus Sesame s commission guarantee ensures that you get paid in the event of the packager business failing. Mortgage exclusives: By being part of the largest distributor of mortgages in the market, you can benefit form frequent exclusive deals from a number of leading lenders. Keeping you up-to-date: You will receive the latest news on exclusives and industry updates through communications, and our regular magazine Mortgage Extra. GENERAL INSURANCE Sesame offers a range of GI products focused on supporting mortgage sales (Buildings & Contents, MPPI). The service provides access to products available through Assurant, Halifax, Paymentshield, Towergate and Sesame Insure, which can all be accessed through their easy-to-use online quote and apply systems. PROTECTION SERVICES Sesame offers the choice of a whole of market proposition, a focused protection panel of six competitive providers (Zenith), and a single tie proposition, to provide members with a range of protection options covering term assurance, critical illness, income protection and private medical insurance.

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9 9 TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS WE AIM TO MAKE YOUR WORKING DAY AS EASY AS POSSIBLE BY PROVIDING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING: DATA ENCRYPTION TOOLS Data security continues to be a significant issue for the Financial Services Authority and we expect them to increase their regulatory activity in this area. We continue to research the best tools available for you to access free of charge or heavily discounted to ensure that from the s you send, to protecting your hardware, your data is secure. SUBMIT NEW BUSINESS ONLINE The less paper you generate and we generate the better. That s why we encourage all our members to submit their new business online. FREE MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY Sesame fully funds The Key, Mortgage Brain s point of sale system. It offers wide-ranging functionality to support the end-to-end business process for Mortgage and Mortgage related GI including client and case management, fact finding, sourcing, application and compliance. The software is fully integrated with Mortgage Brain or Trigold software. TRANCHE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TMS) Our exclusive TMS enables advisers to reserve funds online, saving valuable time and provides mortgage lenders with the opportunity to control the volume, quality and risk of their mortgage lending. CLIENT AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Sesame has recently invested in the development of a complete, end-toend technology solution for advisers covering both initial and ongoing advice. It will offer advisers a wide range of useful features, including Client Portal and Smartphone support but also offers a unique blend of breadth and depth of functionality across front, middle and back office. The system gives adviser firms the ability to automate many repetitive activities, ensuring consistency of advice service and lower operational costs. It is investments like this that will help our members build efficient and profitable advice businesses in a post-rdr world. LEARNING & TRAINING SESAME LEARNING REMAINS THE BENCHMARK FOR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS IN OUR INDUSTRY, AND A KITE MARK FOR QUALITY. The blend of learning channels available means you can gain the technical knowledge and generic business skills that are most relevant to your continuing professional development - on your own terms and in the way that suits you best. Furthermore the entire events programme is accredited by the CII, so attendance will assist you in meeting and satisfying any missing learning outcomes as you ready yourself for RDR. We offer: Business Workshops for principals tackling the issues you face running a business Holistic Advice Forums a combination of technical advice and practical case studies for advisers Virtual Events screened direct to your computer, so you can learn without leaving the office Mortgage Extra Live face to face events focussed on Mortgage and GI advisers Symposium Our year-end conference and flagship event Investment Events focussing on the markets and investment landscape for the year ahead ONLINE LEARNING TOOLS Sesame s Learning programme also includes Free access to My Learning - a training and development tool that helps advisers and principals to measure and maintain knowledge. You can choose regulatory and technical modules, study units for the Certificate in Financial Planning and the Diploma in Financial Planning. Find out more about what Sesame Learning offers at

10 10 MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT SESAME OFFERS A VARIETY OF SUPPORT TO ENSURE ITS MEMBERS ARE FULLY EQUIPPED TO FACE THE CHALLENGES AHEAD;WHETHER YOU WANT TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS, GROW YOUR CLIENT BASE OR MERELY BOUNCE BUSINESS IDEAS OFF EXPERIENCED PEERS,WE CAN PROVIDE THE TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES YOU NEED TO SUCCEED. PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY INSURANCE Professional Indemnity Insurance provides cover for legal liability arising from the negligence of the member firm, and/or others acting with the member firm s authority, in the conduct of the member firm s professional business. It is a requirement that all member firms maintain such cover. Sesame arranges for its professional indemnity broker to offer cover to all member firms on competitive terms, both in policy terms and premium rates. All our members are insured through the industry s leading specialist broker, Windsor PLC which has consistently leveraged its scale, influence and expertise to enable Sesame member firms to benefit from one of the most comprehensive and competitively priced PI policies in the market. EXPANSION If you re looking to grow your business over the next 12 months look no further than our Jobsite, our acquisition service and our Financial Adviser School. Just a few of the innovative ways we can help. Visit or for more information or request a copy of our Group brochure. BUSINESS CONSULTANCY If you feel you need some hands-on training our Regional Development Managers are on hand to offer you support and guidance. FOCUSSED EVENTS We understand that as business owners you face specific challenges everyday which is why we run workshops, specifically for business principals, which are geared specifically towards providing guidance to help run a business in BUSINESS TRANSITION SUPPORT To ensure our members can seamlessly transition their business we have developed an online transition hub which contains all the ideas, support material and templates you need to:- Prepare your RDR Action Plan; Segment your clients; Design your Client Proposition; Design an Effective Charging Structure; Communicate the changes to clients. Sesame can help to make the journey that little bit smoother. MARKETING SUPPORT If you re looking to grow your business or simply communicate regularly with your current client bank, look no further than the Sesame Marketing tool kit. Including web site tools, letter templates, newsletters and lead generation ideas, with the help of our marketing toolkit you can ensure you will be the first person your client s call when a need for financial advice arises.

11 11 ADDED VALUE SESAME CAN OFFER MUCH MORE THAN A STANDARD NETWORK AS IT CAN DRAW ON THE STRENGTH AND SCALE OF THE GROUP TO GIVE MEMBERS ACCESS TO A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES,WHICH COULD ADD VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS INCLUDING: Sesame Bankhall Legal Services Offering another revenue stream for your business without the need for further qualifications. Including a Conveyancing service, Will writing, Funeral plans, Probate, Trusts and Care home advice and products. Financial Adviser School the UK s first school dedicated to nourishing the next generation of financial advisers. Visit Specialist Advice Services Gateway is a specialist referral service for areas of advice that you may not deal with on a day to day basis. Gateway enables you to meet your clients requirements for specialist advice without taking on any additional qualifications, liability or administrative duties. Visit SBG Jobs a recruitment service designed to help you expand your business without the hassle. Visit Optimum an investment solution developed in conjunction with Henderson Global Investors. It includes its own unique range of multi-asset, multi-manager investment solutions. These can be blended, and rebalanced, using the Portfolio Analyser tool, to create and maintain bespoke portfolios that precisely match the client's risk appetite. Visit Sesame One we have teamed up with award winning platform Elevate to provide our advisers with a market-leading and competitively-priced platform proposition designed to ensure they can provide clients with a high quality, efficient and focused investment advice service in an adviser-charging environment post To find out about all the extra support available from the Group visit our website or enquiries@sesame.co.uk and request the Group brochure.

12 GET IN TOUCH If you d like to join our winning team you can get in touch with us by: Phone: marketing@sesame.co.uk Website: You can also find us Sesame Group Ltd Registered Office: Pixham End, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1QA Registered in England