FE Precision+Digital - Helping Ausbil to connect their investors with their data
In 2016 Ausbil began a programme to overhaul their website, with the aim of creating an intuitive user journey that could be accessed across multiple devices, with enhanced interactivity and availability of data, for both prospective and existing investors. Modules from the FE Precision+Digital and FE Precision+Datafeeds products were employed throughout the site to help them achieve this goal.
Angus Vidulich, Client Services Associate at Ausbil, worked closely with FE to shape and implement the webtools. He describes Ausbil’s experience of the project, which was the first time they used an external provider for this purpose.
A data-rich user experience
The scope and nature of the project began with the two most critical content requirements for the new site; easily accessible and consistent unit prices and distributions, and an interactive performance charting tool. ‘It was something that we had costed up to do as an internal job’, explains Angus, ‘but it would have taken up a lot of man hours to bring that project to life, so we went with an external provider. We went with FE because we knew they had experience in the field and had already built the plug-in.’
The FE Precision+Digital interactive charting tool and CSV price download tool modules were employed, with a linking fund centre page, accessed directly from Ausbil’s home page. The fund centre page rounded out the content into a one-stop-shop fund hub, with document links including PDS, factsheets and application forms, fee information, and sector, benchmark and APIR for each fund.
Seamless integration
Having undergone a brand refresh 2 years prior to the fund centre project, Ausbil needed the FE Precision+Digital tools to exactly echo their site’s look and feel. ‘It was really important that it all looked the same to our end user, be that an investor or an adviser, that they were looking at something that was Ausbil as far as they were concerned,’ explains Angus, ‘we were able to match all the designs and the fonts which was really beneficial.’
Next was the technical task of stitching the newly created webtools seamlessly into Ausbil’s site structure, regardless of the device it was viewed on. ‘FE had to work hand in hand with our development team on the website’ continues Angus, ‘they were really good in responding to all our queries regarding the build process, and there was always a test link provided’.
These considerations had to factored in within the wider schedule of Ausbil’s site transformation. ‘We were very up front with FE with our plan and schedule of deadlines, and they were always met,’ says Angus‘.
We wanted to ensure that there was a real synergy between the fund centre and the Ausbil website, and that was definitely delivered.’.
Impact since go-live
The most immediate impact Ausbil observed after the May 2016 go live was the change in site traffic, which now sees a quarter of all site visitors clicking through to the fund centre.
Site users can now self-serve data as and when they need, which has contributed to internal efficiency at Ausbil. ‘From a Client Services perspective, our team just aren’t receiving as many queries’ says Angus.
Ausbil also chose to supplement their FE Precision+Digital implementation elsewhere on their site via its sister product, FE Precision+Datafeeds. Their fund profile pages now list unit prices provided via an instant API link to FE’s database, which means Ausbil can ensure consistency of pricing updates with the main fund centre across the site.
Ultimately, the FE Precision+ tools have contributed to a stand out site which serves the varied needs of Ausbil’s site visitors. In Angus’s opinion: ‘It benefits external clients, but also our sales and marketing teams that speak to clients in their day to day. It’s definitely a good platform for anyone to use and sets us apart from some of our competitors.’
