Openwork to overhaul adviser technology suite

The Openwork Partnership has announced plans to overhaul its legacy technology system and replace it with an AI-enabled technology suite that combines client relationship, advice, and investment tools.

The financial advice network’s new system has been built on Plannr and Seccl, and will be available to early Openwork and 2plan advisers in H1 2027, before a wider regional rollout from H2.

Openwork said the technology would enable faster and easier work for advisers, aiming to save them up to an hour on each client case.

This time saving was facilitated by a commitment that advisers will need to enter information ‘once or less’ in most cases.

Automated workflows can be customised to each business and adviser, while advisers will be able to generate and track referrals, manage family relationships, stay in touch with clients, and create personalised client portals.

The technology suite will also look to protect advisers with prompts and nudges, automated checks, and AI-supported issue flagging.

Openwork said it had chosen to work with a range of providers to ensure it was not limited to what could be built in-house or what was available from a single provider.

CRM and adviser operating system for financial advice businesses, Plannr, and investment platform, Seccl, have provided the foundation for the technology suite, whle over 100 additional vendors will be integrated from the outset.

“Openwork's new tech will be comfortably the best on the market,” said Openwork Partnership CEO, Rob Barker.

“It's holistic, with one suite for mortgage, wealth and protection needs - so no more swivel-chairing, re-keying, or working on multiple systems for a single client.

"It helps principals grow their own businesses, with their own brand and deep client relationships.

“It's fully future-proof - we can plug in AI tools from any provider as they're released.

“This tech is purpose-built – it's not retrofitted on to an enterprise sales platform. And it's designed from the start, tested and refined with advisers, paraplanners and their teams at the heart of all we do – as you'd expect from a network majority-owned by its members."

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