E-enrolment offers choice, convenience and security
WATERLOO, ON, July 10, 2003 – Manulife Financial Canadian Pension Operations has launched an electronic enrolment service to complement their already strong Internet support services. As one of the best financial services sites in Canada, this new electronic capability makes enrolment in a group savings plan simple and more convenient for client companies and their new employees.
Manulife Financial’s group savings e-enrolment service is designed with the specific user in mind. E-enrolment provides members with easy-to-use online tools to learn about and easily enrol in their group savings plan, while plan administrators have several self-service options to help them effortlessly track new enrolments.
“Manulife Financial is utilizing our existing technology to help make enrolment easier for both plan administrators and members,” says Michael Doughty, Vice President, Canadian Pension Operations. “Members can now enrol in their group savings plan anywhere, anytime – at their convenience.”
Comprehensive, educational enrolment tool
The e-enrolment tool emphasizes education, providing online planning tools to help plan members determine how much they need to save and their investor style before selecting their investments. Step-by-step instructions guide plan members through the enrolment process, while built-in edit checks ensure plan members provide all necessary enrolment information – the first time.
Key features:
- Members are informed when investment selections do not match their
investor style; - Plan members can choose their own Personal Identification Number; and,
- Plan members gain immediate access to their secure account information.
The investment line-up is customized for each client, assuring plan administrators that their members only see investments available in their plan.
“E-enrolment meets our customer needs for an all-in-one solution that educates, informs and guides them through the enrolment process,” states Geoff Crickmay, Manulife Financial Senior Vice President, Group Business. “Our new online enrolment service enhances our comprehensive suite of member education tools, while providing members with what they need to know about their group
savings plan to make wise and informed investment decisions.”
Benefits plan administrators
With members self-enrolling in their savings plan, plan administrators can better manage their workload and focus on other tasks. Plan administrators can choose to be less involved in the enrolment process and use the member download feature to track new members – at their convenience. To ensure that only eligible members enrol in the plan, plan administrators have access to an e-enrolment review feature to review, approve or decline a member’s enrolment
before it’s submitted to Manulife. They can also sign up for weekly e-mail notifications letting them know if there are e-enrolments waiting for their approval. This gives plan administrators more control, convenience and speed to support smart and efficient plan management.
What clients want
“Our customers tell us they value the online services we provide,” adds Mr. Crickmay. “They’re looking for flexible solutions so members can enrol more efficiently and effectively. We’ve also provided plan administrators with the e-enrolment review function, an industry-leading service that offers them a flexible, online solution to quickly review e-enrolments.”
Manulife Financial group pensions site is acknowledged as a VeriSign Secure Site, allowing users to submit sensitive data (e.g. investment choices) to this site with the assurance that, all information sent to this site, if in an SSL session, is encrypted, protecting against disclosure to third parties.
About Manulife Financial Pension Operations
Manulife Financial is strongly committed to providing superior group savings products and services to customers in our key markets – Canada, the United States and Asia – now and in the future. Funds under management with respect to our group savings programs worldwide are in excess of $30 billion as at March 31, 2003 representing more than 20 per cent of total funds under management.
In Canada, funds under management with respect to Group Pensions as at March 31, 2003 were $5.6 billion. Group Pensions represented 14 per cent of Manulife Financial’s Canadian Division premiums and deposits for the three months ended March 31, 2003.
About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group operating in 15 countries and territories worldwide. Through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners, Manulife Financial offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services. Funds under management by Manulife Financial were Cdn$141.6 billion as at March 31, 2003.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.
