Investments

Web Brokerages Have a Long Way to Go When It Comes to Helping Investors Define Goals and Risk Tolerance

IRVINGTON, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 2004--Change Sciences Group, Inc. has released its 2004 Q1 report on the usability and utility of ten leading brokerage web sites, showing that many have a long way to go when it comes to making their web sites easy to use. The research, conducted using Change Sciences' Typifi(tm) methodology, provides rankings on the ease-of-use and utility of the areas of brokerage web sites that directly affect customer acquisition. The report shows that providing adequate resources to help the investor define investment goals and risk tolerance attracts and retains customers.
Helping the investor define his goals and tolerance for risk used to be a face-to-face transaction. As investors get more comfortable with web resources, they increasingly expect the sites for brands they know to provide help in this important area. "Helping an online investor define his risk tolerance and investment goals is not simply a matter of putting up a calculator. Doing it well requires a subtle understanding of how a customer experiences the process," said Steve Ellis, a Change Sciences founder and partner.

The overall site rankings follow:

1. ShareBuilder

2. Ameritrade

3. Scottrade

4. E*Trade Financial

5. Firstrade

6. TD Waterhouse

7. Charles Schwab

8. Morgan Stanley

9. T. Rowe Price

10. Fidelity

For more information on this and other Change Sciences research, please visit: http://www.changesciences.com/research.html

Change Sciences Usability Benchmarking Reports are based on its Typifi benchmarking process. Typifi allows for the empirical comparison of sites across key usability metrics. Our usability benchmarking reports show site owners how their sites compare with those of competitors, in terms of how a customer would use it, thought-by-thought and keystroke-by-keystroke. Sites that are easy to use attract and retain more customers. These sites also project a positive brand image. Using Typifi, Change Sciences' analysts can identify and document web design best practices, allowing site owners to make changes that matter to the bottom line.

Change Sciences was founded in January 2000 with the idea that companies can optimize key business processes by basing decisions about technological change in how people use technology while they live, work, and play.

Contacts


Change Sciences Group, Inc.
Maureen Roberts, 888-864-1160 x 203
maureen@changesciences.com
http://www.changesciences.com

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