Super funds well-positioned on robo-advice

Thirty-six per cent of people would prefer to get robo-advice and similar services from their superannuation funds, rather than the major banks, according to new research released today.

The research, contained in the Investment Trends Direct Client Report has pointed to the high number of Australians choosing to make and activate financial decisions without the help of a financial adviser.

However the report points to robo-advice as being a key tool in helping deliver necessary assistance to consumers, and to the positioning of superannuation funds in delivering the answers.

In what represents a new area of research for Investment Trends, the company has looked at the appetite of Australian adults for self-service financial activities and on the basis of 10,369 respondents found that while most Australians understand the benefits of financial advice, they are opting not to retain a financial planner.

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Commenting on the findings, Investment Trends head of research and wealth management, Recep Peker said the findings suggested financial institutions and superannuation funds needed to look beyond the financial planning to engage with those choosing not to obtain advice.

He said the number of Australians actively using a financial planner sat at a substantial 2.4 million people with a further 1.1 million indicating they intended to use a planner in the next two years.

However, Peker said this meant 14.5 million people were unadvised.

"Non-advised Australians recognise they need help on financial matters," he said.

"Eighty-six per cent have concerns about their finances and 36 per cent say they have unmet financial advice needs, even though they would not consider turning to a financial planner for this."

Peker said non-advised adults collectively held 70 per cent of the total wealth in circulation, so it was vital that banks and super funds developed an effective direct channel proposition to meet their customers' and members' needs comprehensively.

The Investment Trends analysis suggested that rob-advice had the potential to become a fundamental tool for engaging people with their finances, but providers needed to look beyond entry level advice to full realise this potential.

"Robo-advice tools can be a cost-effective method for banks and super funds to engage those who are not actively considering a financial planner or cannot afford one," said Peker.

"Most current generation robo-advisers are focused on investment selection, but these tools have the opportunity to really flourish by helping Australians with more than just their investment selection."

"Competition is likely to be intense in this space. While banks have an advantage, 36 per cent of people prefer their super fund to provide these tools," said Peker.

"This competition will be an important factor in driving the development of world-class solutions that meet Australians' comprehensive requirements."