Asset Management Site Earns Four Mice
by March 18, 2002 12:00 am 71 views
A well-thought-out mix of consistent marketing themes and easy navigation makes Arvest Asset Management’s Web site one of the smoothest online waves we’ve ridden. A division of Arvest Bank Group Inc. of Bentonville, the Rogers-based investment company’s online presence at www.arvestam.com is a hyperlink off of www.arvest.com.
The main site, designed in-house, directs surfers to all six of the group’s divisions plus an online financial newsletter and information center. For the purpose of this review, only the Arvest Asset division’s site was considered.
The asset management section explains the differences in investment tools from annuities to zero-coupon bonds. There’s also a hyperlink for Arvest Asset’s available trusts and retirement plans and its insurance product line.
Although we found this site informative, Arvest probably could offer more in the way of investment interactivity. We know from Arvest e-traders that its Arvest1 online brokerage works well, but our team of reviewers wanted more than the ability to click on topics and read a description. An online needs analysis could speed up an investment adviser’s job.
The site also attempts to drive traffic toward its financial advisers, but when we clicked on their names no phone numbers or even e-mails are provided. To paraphrase Tom Cruise from the movie “Jerry Maguire,” help them help you.
The site debuted in 1999, and the arvest.com 2.0 incarnation came along during an upgrade this winter. Arvest Asset’s techies tell us the site’s goal is “to be used as an additional resource providing online information and services to all Arvest customers.”
The mousovers are at times difficult to read, but we like the coordinated color motif.
The company has about 50,000 active online banking users, and its traffic peaks after 5 p.m. and on the first and 15th of the month. No information specific to Arvest Asset’s section was available.
One technician in on the critique called www.arvestam.com, “simple and clean.” He also said it loads quickly and is “fun and good-looking.” The site is definitely a strong marketing tool for Arvest Asset and a good place for beginners to start that nest egg.