Air Group announce new version of Air Sourcing with significant improvement to functionality

13 November 2019

Answers in Retirement Group (Air Group), the Group of companies covering a range of retirement and later life services, has today (13th November 2019) announced a new version of its Air Sourcing platform for later life advisers.

Air Sourcing is the free, one-stop platform for advisers to service their clients’ entire later life requirements via a new interface. It is now home to Air Group’s range of propositions including Air Mortgage Club, Air Late Life Academy, Air Packaging and Air Rewards allowing advisers to access all of these on the one system.

As part of its ongoing development of the system, Air Group have launched a fully-integrated API platform within Air Sourcing allowing lenders, when they are ready to plug in, to offer a full enquiry to completion/KFI/application process, which will massively reduce the time spent on administration by all its adviser users.

Advisers’ inputted data will move seamlessly from one programme to another without the need for multiple re-keying – the ability to enter data once means that, via the API, this will then be transferred immediately and seamlessly into a factfind, sourcing system, CRM system, application form, or wherever it is required.

Product sourcing on the platform now benefits from vastly-improved loading times, allowing advisers to have access to all products immediately and ensures that, through a significant set of new and existing product Research Filters, it allows them to filter out unsuitable products based on a range of criteria. This creates a shortlist of the best suited products with which to compare using its Total to Pay comparison. Air Group says this means the adviser is able to identify the most suitable and best value product first time.

The new version of Air Sourcing is introducing a number of further new and unique features including a ‘Near Miss’ function which shows the adviser better-priced products that may fall just outside their search criteria. It will also give advisers the ability to enter Aviva rates directly through the browser, with a view to automating the retrieval of Aviva rates via API connectivity in a future update. In addition, the system now allows users to compare the cost of products that allow repayments by entering the monthly payment contribution.

Air Sourcing is also adding a new level of CRM functionality to the platform, plus a range of new website calculators which advisers can add to their own websites in order to help with lead generation.

Stuart Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of AIR Group, commented: “Revamping and upgrading the Air Sourcing platform has been a major priority for us throughout 2019 and we are pleased to announce the new version of the system which now houses all our propositions under one roof.

“As an unbiased proposition, we are also launching the new, fully-integrated and truly-independent API platform within the system to cover all available retirement lenders ensuring advisers have access to the whole of market. This will not just allow our users to cut down significantly on their administration and rekeying, given that any inputted data allows them to obtain their KFI quickly, but also means the data can now be moved seamlessly into any other system.

“Overall, this is about ensuring Air Sourcing is constantly evolving to meet ever-changing adviser and client needs; the slickness and use-ability of the system has been enhanced plus we want to ensure that advisers are making the most of their later life propositions, especially when it comes to securing the right product for their clients first time, every time. It’s also important for us to support advisers’ lead generation activities in this area and the ability to use our calculators on their own websites could well drive traffic and interested individuals there.

“2020 will bring even further enhancements and updates to the system, all designed to support advisers in offering the best possible outcomes for their customers. This is market-leading technology that is absolutely free, and should be a must for any adviser or firm active – or wishing to be active – within the later life space.”

Mark Lambert, Director of Viva Retirement Solutions, said: “This latest version of AIR Sourcing is a real step forward in helping to identify the most suitable product for our customers. The level of customisation of the results goes a long way towards making sure that many of the features of the different plans available are considered (when appropriate) and can be tailored to help ensure that we are always making the most suitable recommendation and giving the best advice.”

Air Group comprises a number of propositions, all now available via the Air Sourcing Platform. Air Mortgage Club is the distributor for equity release and later life advisers; Air Later Life Academy is the commercial and training organisation for later life members; Air Packaging is the full service, para-packaging proposition for advisers seeking the right lending solutions for their older clients; and Air Rewards is the Group’s reward scheme for awards.

For more information on Air Sourcing, please visit: www.airsourcing.co.uk