Sesame Bankhall Group (SBG) has integrated its portal of choice, the Avelo Exchange Portal, with its new practice management system, XPLAN from IRESS.

According to SBG, the system will provide tools for advisers to help them improve operating efficiency and service levels to their clients.

It will initially support the launch of SBG’s new restricted advice service, before being rolled out for use by Sesame Network members and Bankhall customers across the group.

SBG claims the system will be able to streamline the creation of quotations and the application process for insurance products.

Data collected during the advice process will be pre-populated into quotation and application forms on the Avelo Exchange service, along with provider extranets for new business submission. This activity will also be recorded in the XPLAN system for future reference, which will help with compliance and improve client servicing. Furthermore while all interactions with the Avelo Exchange Portal will occur through XPLAN screens to provide a consistent user experience for the adviser.

James Stevenson, Sesame Bankhall Group’s head of adviser technology, said: “Embedding efficient technology will be pivotal in helping advisers to operate successfully in the future. Our new practice management system will offer a complete technology solution, from fact find through to recommendation letters. It will also help with ongoing reporting and client servicing, which will help advisers to justify remuneration post-RDR.

“It is another example of how SBG is investing in new services for our members, and the feedback from advisers who have tested the new system has been very positive.”

Mark Loosmore, business development director at IRESS, said: “Providing a seamless, efficient process for electronic quotations and applications is vital to the success of the Sesame Bankhall Group project and we are delighted to be working with Avelo, who have the widest access to insurance offerings in the market, to achieve this.”

Paul Yates, Avelo’s strategy and product development director, said: “Speed and efficiency provided by straight-through-processing (STP) is becoming ever more important in all aspects of financial services and Avelo has the technology to provide this connectivity. We are pleased to be supporting this new initiative and that Avelo Exchange Portal has been selected as the first live integration for this service.”