DSG-Network.com: About DSG

Retirement Market Practice

DSG brings a unique understanding of the retirement market built on cutting edge proprietary and syndicated research as well as consulting engagements with leading firms focused on the post-accumulation side of the ‘retirement market.’ This knowledge-base of the complex, interrelated issues surrounding the distribution phases of the retirement market includes the perspectives of consumers, employers, financial advisers, product manufacturers, and distributors across all types of financial service organizations. In addition, DSG manages the Retirement Management Executive Forum to help industry leaders address key market issues and share best practices.

DSG has focused on the period from the Retirement Inflexion Point^TM throughout the retirement years. With this knowledge, we help client companies capitalize on this rapidly growing opportunity, and retain assets and relationships as clients grapple with this inflexion point in their lives.

To date, over 70 firms have participated in the Retirement Management Marketing Report Series RM² Reports^TM, an ongoing syndicated research series focused on the Retirement Management Market. This research is pertinent for all financial service organizations including; investment managers, insurance companies, banks, brokerage firms, as well as their partners in providing services to this growing segment of financial service consumers.

In addition to the research series and executive workshops on the retirement management market, DSG has helped clients in numerous consulting and research engagements focused on the retirement market:

REPRESENTATIVE ENGAGEMENTS

Board & Management Forums. DSG has led numerous Board of Director and Executive Management forums focused on retirement market opportunities. These sessions are designed to promote a common organizational understanding of issues and opportunities. Meetings have been used, for example, to kick off a strategic business planning process and to provide direction and excitement for key managers and producers. In all cases, DSG works with clients to define and meet their specific meeting needs and objectives.

Retirement Income Market Business Plan. Worked with the management team of a large insurance and securities organization to develop their business plan for entering the Retirement Income Market.

Trust Start-Up & Integration Assessment. Helped a major insurance company (resulting from a merger of two substantial companies with disparate cultures) assess the viability of reentering the Trust business based on its expanded distribution and management capabilities and capacity. The project involved an assessment of the potential synergies, particularly as they pertained to the Retirement Market.

Worksite Opportunities. Helped a major mutual fund and insurance firm develop strategies for retaining or converting "accumulation dollars" at retirement. Efforts included focus groups with employers, interviews with (third party) Retirement Plan Administrators (RPA’s) and the "mapping" of the RPA market.

Using Trust Services to Capture & Retain Assets Worked with mutual fund complex to reposition Trust Services both internally and externally to provide tools and tactics for the funds distributor to both capture and retain assets at the ‘retirement inflexion point.’.

Producer Effectiveness. Used qualitative research to help a large insurance company understand producer needs and develop strategies that increased production of captive and independent producers in the Retirement Income Management Market.

Customer Communications. esigned and executed consumer research that led to the successful implementation of new retirement market communications strategies and materials for a large insurance company.

New Product Assessment and Development. Helped a product developer validate market receptivity to a unique, hybrid, guaranteed retirement income product concept, and refine product concept for introduction to financial product manufacturers.

Retiree Healthcare. Completed a two year engagement with a Home Health Care organization resulting in a comprehensive competitive analysis, radically redesigned product offerings, and revamped advertising and sales presentation materials.

Senior Communities. Reengineered the marketing and sales process for a major Assisted Living/Nursing Care Community. Performed a Gap Analysis of the Community against its chief competitors to develop a unique brand positioning and strategy.

Senior Market Services. Developed a unique business model for a major insurance distribution firm that provided value added products and services to the upper middle income retiree marketplace. Facilitated strategic planning and new program development processes with a senior market focused law firm and case management organization for the purpose of profitably growing their businesses.