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Retirement reinvented for the digital age

The digital retirement agency is here to stay. Pension members want more retirement coaching and better customer experiences.

Retirement in the New

As people live longer and as healthcare costs rise, many people's pension plans will fall short of providing them with a comfortable retirement. Pension funds have an infinite investment horizon, coupled with an unending commitment to pay benefits to citizens, but the ratio of people working and contributing to funds against those withdrawing money is shrinking.

Challenges at the macro level are fed by issues at the micro level: People are ignoring their retirement and are putting off planning for it.

The pensions industry must help to change people's behavior so that they are planning for retirement from an earlier stage in their lives. Embracing digital technology will be central to this effort: The introduction of digital retirement coaches via mobile apps and virtual reality, for example, will help ensure that people are more aware and better educated about their future financial needs.

Four steps to transform the digital retirement agency

Accenture's video explains four steps to transform the digital retirement agency by embracing the new platforms and technologies. See more.

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Client story

Social security: Securing life goals

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Enter the digital retirement agency

In a digital world where we live on our smartphones, we expect seamless services and experiences—how, when and where we want them. Public pensions agencies must keep pace with rising expectations. The pressure's on to give your members the same personalized services, multi-channel choices and ultra-convenience they expect when shopping, banking and managing everyday life online. At the same time, you need to balance fund sustainability with benefit adequacy. These are tough challenges. But while they're driving demand, they're also opening opportunities for a new type of retirement experience.

6

People check their smartphones every 6 minutes.

74%

Seek customer support on a mobile device.

87%

Retirement system members would use a mobile app.

Pension fundamentals in flux

Four fundamental shifts are disrupting the pensions landscape, creating scope for new delivery models with efficiency gains for providers and service benefits for members.

Redefining value

Ambitious pensions agencies can evolve from simply processing transactions to proactively advising members as trusted retirement coaches.

Shifting volume

As digital self-service reduces demand for in-person services, staff can focus on more complex issues, adding value and improving impact.

New expectations

As record systems become truly interactive, analytics can anticipate needs, personalize marketing and deliver improved outcomes, not just answers.

Changing delivery

The shift from on-premise delivery to cloud is enabling agencies to innovate while operating more securely, efficiently and responsively.

The road to reinvention

With powerful new platforms, technologies and service models, we're entering a golden age of the digital retirement agency. Embracing this New enables you to differentiate, innovate and transform the retirement experience for members, employers and staff.

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Serving members starts with understanding them

Accenture surveyed public and private employees to find out what they really think of their pension plans and retirement readiness. Four critical takeaways? Members value their pensions benefits as much as their healthcare benefits. People may not be as prepared for retirement as they think they are. The hunger for digital retirement services like coaching is intensifying. And opportunities abound for pensions agencies to engage members at all phases of the pensions life cycle, balancing member needs with fiduciary responsibilities.

Measured and treasured

Better insights are helping leaders attract, develop and retain talent while supporting higher employee productivity and satisfaction. Ultimately, the HR analytics are empowering state workers to deliver better and more enduring outcomes to the people they serve.

What we think

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Our leaders

Owen Davies

Managing Director – Health & Public Service, Pensions
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Eyal Darmon

Managing Director – Strategy & Consulting, Public Service
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