'Client Focused' research is where you enter the client details and (depending on the type of product) details of the policy benefits/contributions. 'Product Focused' research is where you simply skip this information, in order to carry out general research into the contracts available. 'Product Focused' is also referred to as generic research.
If you do enter client and benefit details, the research information changes as follows:
- Reports and suitability reports include the client information.
- The list of available contracts is automatically filtered to exclude those which are not relevant. For example, the client is too young to take out the contract, or because the initial premium entered is below the contracts minimum allowed.
- The list of stats available within the Stats tab is reduced so you only see the ones that are relevant to the client. For example, on an investment bond you will only see the projected surrender values which are closest to the investment amount you have entered i.e. if a client wants to invest £140,000 the statistical information will be based on £100,000.
- You cannot select contract features that are 'mutually exclusive'. For example you can't select both 'any occupation' and 'own occupation' as a client could only have one or the other.
- Client-focused research can be file-checked by compliance officers remotely. They do not have access to product-focused research.
