February 02, 2012
A New Year, a New Design
This time last year, my letter was titled “A New Year, A New Decade” and what a year 2011 was for SySys! Despite a volatile US market, very rough foreign markets and shrinking marketing budgets, SySys had what we’ll quietly call a record year for the firm. Everyone at SySys is focused on our clients’ success first but we are grateful for a stellar year and are not resting on our laurels as we enter into 2012. Although no two economists or market strategists can seem to agree on what’s next, we are seeing many of our existing and prospective clients enter into an era of site refreshes, redesigns or face lifts. Our theory is many asset managers have delayed keeping their sites up to the ever expanding expectations of the web-savvy public but have now realized they must continue to improve their overall online look to keep up with the growing expectations of Financial Advisors, end investors and Institutional clients.
How to justify change when it seems to be good enough
One thing the late Steve Jobs taught us all is sometimes the consumer doesn’t know what they need until they experience it. We think this simple yet profound idea is also true when it comes to navigating and using an asset manager site to do research or conduct business. Many fund firms have delayed or ignored the call to improve, tune-up or streamline the overall usability and layout of their online content and data. We at SySys suspect it’s one of those expenses that exists in the early rounds of annual budgeting but is often removed in the name of “no one’s asking for it” or “there is no real ROI”. I often think if Apple built only the devices and software that clients were asking for or had guaranteed ROI’s, we would still be buying music in stores and using our cell phones to solely call and email. And nobody can dispute their performance of late! I’m a believer that many fund firms sites work well and function good enough to get by but there are many missed opportunities in the name of design improvement, data or information automation, functional capabilities and/or easy access to product data and information.
Take a Chance and Simplify Your Design
It’s long been said that simplicity is beautiful and complexity is the opposite. In this complex business and as investment products unfortunately become more and more complex for the advisor and investor to understand, let’s at least not assume our online presence must also reflect that complexity. If an Apple designer can make one of the most technically complex products so simple to use and understand, why can’t asset manager sites do the same in simplifying their business? Many of our clients have or are in the process of working with SySys and some award-winning design firms who we call friends and business partners to accomplish better design and ease of use on their sites. Our SVP of Business Strategy, Kevin Smith was telling me a story the other day of how his mother who struggled with email for years was communicating with him via FaceTime minutes after un-wrapping her new iPad holiday gift. FaceTime is 100x technically more complex than email, but through good design, this product is easily understood and utilized in seconds by those who have struggled with less technical products designed for communication. I challenge those in the asset management business to think about their online presence and data automation in the same vein. Less is more – simple is beautiful. Let’s make your site both.
Let us Help
Since 1993, SySys has assisted asset managers with their web presence, online marketing materials, data integration and content management. Simply put, we design, build, automate, host and maintain your web presence while placing you in total control of your content. Our exclusive product, FundSys™, gives your marketing and IT teams easy access to your online content and makes the complexities of the asset management business simplified resulting in a great online presence for your firm. We are also available to assist you and your firm with its online strategy. We like to say an asset manager site powered by SySys combined with a fresh design is often the kick-start your firm may need to help your various business units get to the next level. Let us help you understand what a site “Powered by SySys” might be able to do for your business.
Send us an email, tweet, message via Facebook or give us a call the old fashioned way. Even if you don’t partner with us, we’d love to hear your experiences and ideas.
Warm regards,
Andrew Christensen
President and CEO, SySys Corporation