The client
55Plus is a specialist financial services firm focused on equity release and later life lending. Since 2019, the company has grown from a small team of three advisers to a fully remote, nationally operating network of 30 advisers. With compliance and client care at the heart of their operations, 55Plus needed systems that could scale with their ambitions.
The challenge
When 55Plus first engaged Heliocentrix, their operations were heavily reliant on manual processes. Case tracking was done in Excel, with no automation or reporting capabilities. The fact find process involved paper forms, Word documents, and manual copy-pasting into client letters—taking up to three hours per case.
As the business grew, these inefficiencies became more pronounced. Onboarding new advisers and maintaining compliance across a remote team added further pressure. Sporadic system updates lacked strategic direction, and the lack of integration between tools created friction in day-to-day workflows.
“We needed more than just support. We needed someone who could see around corners.”
The solution
Heliocentrix began with a simple Power App in 2019 to support basic case tracking. Over time, this evolved into a fully bespoke case management system tailored to 55Plus’s unique workflows.
Key components included:
- Digital Fact Find: A fully integrated, streamlined process replacing paper and Word documents.
- Mobile App for Advisers: Native functionality for ID capture and case updates on the go.
- Automation: Notifications, document generation, and comparison calculators to reduce manual effort.
- Reporting: Automated KPI reports with dashboards in development.
- Document Management: SharePoint integration with secure Microsoft SSO access.
- Digital Transformation Retainer: Introduced to provide predictable costs and a strategic roadmap for continuous improvement.
"Heliocentrix felt like part of our team. They took the time to understand how we work, where we wanted to go, and—crucially—what we hadn’t even thought about yet."
Implementation highlights
- 2019 – Initial Power App deployed for case tracking.
- 2022 – Full bespoke system launched.
- 2024 – Retainer model introduced to support strategic growth.
- 2025 – Digital fact find and mobile app rolled out.
Results and benefits
The transformation delivered measurable improvements across the board:
- Fact Find Time: Reduced from 2–3 hours to ~60 minutes per case (60–70% faster).
- Document Generation: ~30 minutes saved per case.
- Mobile App: 20–30 minutes saved per case for ID capture.
- Notifications: Automated introducer updates and adviser alerts save 10–15 minutes per case.
- Client Feedback: Automated client feedback surveys upon case completion
- Scalability: Design with growth in mind the system seamlessly supported expansion from 3 to 30 advisers.
- Compliance: Improved accuracy and audit trail enhanced compliance.
- Growth: Reliable systems built focusing on user experience has encouraged more advisers to join.
"Their approach isn’t just about technology; it’s about making sure our business is ready for whatever comes next."
Future development
The partnership between 55Plus and Heliocentrix continues to evolve under an active Digital Transformation Retainer, supporting ongoing development and strategic innovation. Current development areas include:
- Management Dashboards: Enhanced reporting tools to support strategic decision-making.
- Mobile App Expansion: Additional functionality to support adviser workflows and client engagement.
- AI Integration: Exploring opportunities to use AI for document analysis, data extraction and content summarisation.
"The transformation hasn’t been about flashy systems or one-off projects. It’s been a steady, strategic journey"
Lessons & reusability
This project demonstrates how a bespoke system can start small and scale strategically. The Digital Transformation Retainer model enabled continuous improvement aligned with business goals—an approach that’s highly applicable to other SMEs with compliance-heavy, process-driven workflows.
"I’m so glad we found them before a competitor did."
