"Ready to wear" surveys

Thinking Money is a major qualitative research study providing insights into consumer thinking on financial services, changing patterns in decision making and needs for financial advice and information.  It has been conducted on a biennial basis since 2000, tracking trends and providing longitudinal analysis. The study focuses on the mass affluent financial consumer across four lifestage segments, examining financial attitudes and behaviour as individuals encounter key life events and make financial decisions.

Designed to inform marketers at a strategic and planning level, Thinking Money scrutinises the mindset of the ‘moneyed’ consumer.  The study is aimed at providers of financial products, services and advice targeting this market.  The overall objective is to evaluate changing attitudes towards money, financial planning, products, brands, communications, channels and advice.

2011 Focus

In 2011 the study was constructed following the strong principles of Thinking Money but the coverage tilted to focus on some key issues affecting provider strategy. There were three major themes, all accelerating change in financial decision-making:

• The economic climate
• Regulation
• More self direction facilitated by online developments

In the light of these developments, some questions at the core of Thinking Money 2011 were

• How are consumers approaching their financial decisions in the current climate? What’s important? What triggers their decisions? For example:
  • What new strategies are emerging to serve the leaner fortunes of Generation X as they look towards retirement?
  • How will young professionals make the transition from debt to accumulation?
• What advice, guidance and information do they seek and what is worth paying for? 
• What do IFAs offer to customers in the new environment and how can they keep them?
• What are those clients who no longer want to do business with IFAs looking for?
• What else affects channel choice?
• What are consumers looking for in online solutions? How do they want to access this?
• Cutting out the middle man - what are consumers looking for in direct business with providers?
• What role could the banks play?

For further details about the 2011 results please contact Jane Craig at NMG.

The definitive source of IFA opinion

IFA Census is a monthly survey of adviser behaviour, attitudes and opinions. A minimum of 250 online surveys with investment advisers and 150 with protection focused advisers/mortgage brokers are conducted every month, using NMG’s regularly refreshed panel of 1500+ advisers.

The survey provides extensive coverage across all the key issues facing advisers, particularly as they transition their business in preparation for the RDR. 

As for all NMG’s Census surveys, there are various ways clients can access data:

• A full annual subscription providing all core reports, bespoke analysis and online access
• Purchasing standard reports e.g. Investment Special, Quarterly Business Trends, Protection Special
• Commissioning bespoke analysis and reports, with the option of overlaying internal segmentation data onto our data (through matching contacts from their database with those on our panel)
• Placing confidential questions on our monthly omnibus facility

Further Information
For costs, a 2012 schedule and an extract from one of our reports please click here. For further information please email Georgina.Clarke@NMG-Group.com.

The voice of the UK paraplanner

The past two to three years have seen the emergence of a new and important role within IFA businesses, the paraplanner. Whilst IFAs have always had administrative support, paraplanners are becoming professionally qualified and increasingly influential.

Paraplanner Census is a quarterly survey focusing on the role of paraplanners.  It seeks to understand the attitudes and opinions of this key group and has been running since November 2009.  It is the most comprehensive survey conducted with paraplanners; each wave provides 200 completed online interviews, sourced from NMG’s own, growing panel of paraplanners.

As for all NMG’s Census surveys, there are various ways clients can access data:

• Purchasing a full annual subscription providing four standard reports per year
• Commissioning bespoke analysis and reports
• Placing confidential questions on our monthly omnibus facility

Further Information
For costs, a 2012 schedule and an extract from one of our reports please click here. For further information please email Georgina.Clarke@NMG-Group.com.

Understanding the mindset of the mid-high net worth investor

NMG’s Investor Census provides clients with unique access to the mid-high net worth investor, defined as those with £50,000 or more in investable assets and/or a household income above £75,000.

It is conducted quarterly with a robust sample of 500 investors per wave, permitting detailed analysis of sub-groups. The survey is designed and hosted internally, with the consumer sample sourced via our specialist panel partner.

Core coverage includes product holding, brand, channel usage, investor attitudes and intentions plus every quarter we run a special report on a relevant and topical area e.g. the impact of the RDR; spe,cifically the adviser charge and changes to the retirement sector.

As with all NMG’s Census surveys, there are various ways our clients can access data:

• Purchasing a full annual subscription providing four standard and four special report per year
• Commissioning bespoke analysis and reports, including possible analysis by FSS segment
• Placing confidential questions on our monthly omnibus facility

Further Information
For costs, a 2012 schedule and an extract from one of our reports please click here. For further information please email Georgina.Clarke@NMG-Group.com.

A strategic view of the IFA market

IFA Thinking is designed to provide the big picture of trends and future strategy across the intermediary channel – and the implications for product and service providers.

Based on a robust qualitative design and observational research across all key segments this study explores business transition including planning in response to the retail distribution review

Contact

Please contact Jane Craig for information about our latest IFA Thinking survey.