The investment management industry is increasing its spend on sales, marketing and client servicing. Retail and institutional are converging. Recognizing that solutions are too often assessed and implemented in a siloed manner without an end-to-end client engagement perspective, Olmstead has developed an integrated Sales & Service model to help guide sales enablement and client experience investments.



How can Olmstead help?

Client Engagement Strategy & Architecture: current and future state operating models

Solution Evaluation & Selection: RFP to POC to negotiations

Implementation Services & Data Readiness Assessments: an efficient execution approach that buys down risk and increases impact leveraging our Implementation Accelerators

Client Communications Implementation Accelerators

Client Reporting, Sales Enablement, CRM, web, and Client Portal projects are as much data projects as they are software projects. They are typically plagued by data readiness issues, which in turn lead to elongated implementation timeframes and value compromises. Olmstead has developed a set of tools and methods to accelerate time to go-live, de-risk projects and elevate quality.

Olmstead Implementation Playbook – dos, don’ts, and approaches refined from over 10 years of client communication solution evaluations and implementations

Olmstead Data Readiness Assessment – an objective scoring of your data aimed at early identification of key data risks and proposed mitigation tactics 

Olmstead Distribution Data Services – our API layer is used to speed data delivery to client communication solutions (e.g., client reporting, fact sheets). The API layer allows for the improvement to the underlaying data platform while not interrupting existing interfaces and allowing for the development of reports using test data before the data platform is production ready, creating parallel workstreams and quicker time to delivery.

Olmstead Distribution Data Model – recognizing that many IMs lack a strategic data source to consolidate distribution data, we have developed a distribution data model that can be leveraged by data warehouse and reporting data mart projects

Click here to learn how Olmstead helps optimize Sales Enablement & Client Communications implementations and our partnership with Seismic. 


Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome

Asset Managers have doubled their spending on distribution architecture and technology since 2019, but the ROI has not met expectations. Sales & Marketing leaders need to think horizontally and avoid silo thinking when implementing their optimal distribution architecture.

Our 10-minute cut of the webinar will teach you about:
  • How to get buy-in across the organization
  • Navigating the technology landscape and deciding the right time to invest
  • Determining what a "successful" implementation really means
  • Avoiding the "shiny object syndrome" and a muted ROI
Click here to access the video




Olmstead is the data and consulting partner of Seismic, the recognized leader in sales and marketing enablement. In support of Seismic implementations for asset management clients, Olmstead has developed tools and an approach that significantly accelerates implementation, resulting in increased ROI and scalability. Refined from over 10 years of managing client communication solution evaluations and implementations, Olmstead has created best practices around implementation playbooks, distribution data models, APIs, and Data Readiness assessments.

For more information on the Olmstead & Seismic Partnership and to learn now Olmstead helps firms optimize Sales Enablement and Client Communications implementations, click here.
 

SAMPLE ENGAGEMENTS

Olmstead's client needed to upgrade their client reporting capability in order to decrease time and energy spent collecting, aggregating, and processing data in report production. However, before selecting a client reporting solution, Olmstead first advised through a data centric approach, a strategic data solution and architecture that would support an integrated client service model for scalable growth. This resulted in the opportunity to architect an enabling solution that provided underpinnings for not just client reporting, but the broader Client Engagement suite of CRM, Pitchbooks, Client Master, and a digital / web presence. Olmstead had responsibility for designing and implementing the Enterprise Data Warehouse and integrating in key data sources (FactSet, Advent) and client engagement solutions including Vermilion, Salesforce and Kurtosys.
Our client was looking to build and integrate reusable data sets and tables from data sources (Eagle PACE and internal warehouse) in preparation for a Seismic and Client Reporting implementation that would support Sales & Marketing. Olmstead was responsible for the data integration and helped to streamline processes used to create marketing material and reports that were previously managed manually through spreadsheets and PPT. Olmstead facilitated the data preparation and readiness for the Sales Enablement solution by de-siloing and taking inventory of data used in pitch books, fact sheets, strategy summaries, client reports, and meta-data. The result was centralized data being available for future projects including CRM and the Client Reporting initiative.




Olmstead was engaged to manage all aspects of the project including report requirements, report design, report specifications, data sources, data mapping, data integration, testing and remediation. Olmstead assumed responsibility for the program and while managing to tight deadlines worked closely with the business, systems and the vendor to ensure nothing was overlooked.
See more samples of Current & Recent Client Experience & Engagment Engagements


RECENT BLOG POSTS

Author’s Note:  I miss baseball.  The good news is that my favorite team just completed its first ever undefeated April since entering the league 58 years ago.  The bad news is that they are tied for last place.  For those whose cravings for sport are not fully satisfied by the cherry pit spitting and cup stacking competitions on ESPN 8: The Ocho, maybe this piece, which aims to relate the rise of data-driven decision making in baseball with Asset Manager’s investments in distribution intelligence, will fill the void in some small way.  Read More
Andy Ziegler has joined Olmstead as Director of Client Communications Solutions, responsible for defining and delivering sales enablement and client communications solutions to our asset management clients.   Read More
Olmstead Associates is pleased to announce its data and consulting partnership with Seismic, the recognized leader in sales and marketing enablement. In support of Seismic implementation and growth for asset management clients, Olmstead has developed tools and an approach that optimizes implementation, resulting in increased ROI and scalability. Refined from over 10 years of managing client communication solution evaluations and implementations, Olmstead has created best practices around implementation playbooks, distribution data models, APIs, and Data Readiness assessments.  Read More
In a recent conversation with an executive from a leading client reporting provider, the discussion turned to Ed Bolles' latest blog on the subject "Data Tax." The executive revealed that they frequently experience a drag of at least 25% on their projects due to data issues. The conversation highlighted an interesting tension that every investment manager must face when embarking on client communications and sales enablement projects – how do you identify and address looming data pitfalls and sinkholes without overly delaying the delivery of business benefit?   Read More

MEET OUR LEADERS

Stephen’s LinkedIn Profile
alepa@olmst.com

Stephen is CEO of Olmstead Associates. He also leads Olmstead's Client Engagement capability, helping investment managers with communications and information delivery solutions across their client lifecycle. He has 25+ years as a management consultant and financial technology executive, helping global financial markets firms of all sizes define and achieve their business objectives. Regarding our client's client experience, he drives Olmstead's services, considering all client touchpoints when devising client engagement operating models and integrated sales and service solutions.

Stephen held senior positions at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), PwC, and Arthur Andersen, where he was the partner-in-charge of the New England financial markets business consulting practice. Prior to Olmstead, Stephen held leadership positions at trading pioneers ITG and Macgregor. He architected and ran the ITG Net business unit, the firm's end-to-end electronic trading and trade processing network, building it to a community of over 750 buy-sides, sell-sides, custodians, and industry utilities. Stephen led Macgregor's Sales and Service, and oversaw the transformation of the firm's financial profile by diversifying revenue, growing recurring revenues, and reducing costs dramatically. A recurring theme through his professional experiences is the weaving together of strategy and execution, business and technology.

A graduate of Georgetown University, in his free time you can find Stephen enjoying time with his wife and three children, around a baseball diamond or on a stand-up paddle board. Stephen holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Andy's LinkedIn Profile
ziegler@olmst.com

Andy is responsible for leading Olmstead’s client communications consulting services, inclusive of sales enablement and client reporting solutions. He has over 15 years’ of consulting experience supporting asset managers and their sales & distribution, marketing, client service, client reporting, and data management strategic roadmaps. Andy has a background launching transformational programs resulting in increased client satisfaction and productivity. He leverages data-driven analytics and technology to discover business insights, opportunities, and trends.

Prior to joining Olmstead, Andy was a Director at Cutter Associates and was Head of Relationship Management and Business Development for Xinn, a technology company specializing in automated client reports, pitchbooks, and fact sheets. In addition, Andy spent over 12 years at investment management firms such as Fidelity Investments and Wellington Management, leading various projects to drive business efficiency and effectiveness.
Scott is the Manager of Client Engagement Practice for Olmstead. He joined Olmstead in May 2021 and will focus on engaging Olmstead clients about their business operations, sales enablement tools, information management and improving user adoption. 

Scott has 29 years’ experience in the mutual fund distribution industry.  He held roles at American Century that focused on sales and product management.  While with Ivy Investments, Scott supported sales operations through efficient management of several sales enablement systems and business information management.

Scott is a Kansas City native and graduate of Truman State University and Rockhurst University.  In his free time, Scott is an active leader for Boy Scouts of America and professional musician.  Scott and his wife have raised three children who are also musically inclined.

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Olmstead Associates is a leading specialized consulting firm to the investment management industry. For over 20 years, Olmstead has provided consulting expertise to help investment managers plan for, select, and implement solutions. Our Operations, Technology, and Data experts, proven methodologies, and leading edge tools help inform our clients to make better decisions and lower project risk.
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info@olmst.com
185 Devonshire St, Boston, MA 02110