The Client Experience Roundtable brought to light a striking generational divide. Few expectations are as pressing as those of clients under 55. This segment is no longer ‘emerging’: it’s firmly here, and their digital-first mindset is reshaping what ‘good’ looks like in wealth management.
These clients are vocal, fast-moving, and unforgiving when digital experiences fall short. As one participant noted, they don’t just compare their banking apps to competitors. They compare them to the best digital experiences across any industry. And when the journey feels fragmented or outdated, they quickly move on.
This group doesn’t view digital as a support channel. To them, it’s the front door, and often the only one that matters. They expect to onboard seamlessly, manage investments on mobile devices, and access information without needing to call a human. That doesn’t mean human advice isn’t valued. But when they do reach out, they expect it to be for strategic guidance, not operational friction.
Participants spoke candidly about the gap. Legacy systems, disconnected front and back ends, and admin-heavy processes, continue to block progress. And although most wealth managers have embarked on digital transformation initiatives, many admitted their existing stacks simply weren’t designed to deliver the kinds of experiences younger clients demand.
So what needs to change?
First, journeys must be rethought end-to-end, not just digitised at the surface. That means going beyond client portals and digital brochures to build real-time, event-driven engagement that empowers clients to take action, while equipping advisors with the tools and data to stay proactive.
Second, the platform behind the experience matters. One-off upgrades and siloed tools can’t deliver consistency across onboarding, servicing, and advice. A modern, composable architecture, that orchestrates journeys, unifies data, and embeds intelligence into every step, is now essential, not aspirational.
Finally, this is not about choosing between digital and human. The discussion pointed to a service model that blends digital efficiency with human insight, where technology handles the routine, and advisors step in where they truly add value.
But for under-55s, hybrid needs to start with digital. Advisers add value when the basics are already seamless. Wealth managers looking to win this generation must stop treating digital as an add-on. For younger clients, it is the experience. And for firms that get it right, the payoff isn’t just engagement. It’s long-term loyalty in a market segment that’s only set to grow.
Ready to dive into the report and discover more about Backbase’s article? You can read and download the report online here.
What serving the under-55s really takes
Wealth managers who want to win over this segment will need more than upgraded interfaces. Here’s what the new playbook demands:
Design journeys, not just apps
Rethink client onboarding and servicing from the ground up. Make it mobile-first, fully digital, and intuitive from day one. Onboarding is no longer a one-time handoff. It begins during prospecting and should blend digital ease with human-led engagement at key moments.
Deliver self-service with substance
Empower clients to act when they want, how they want. Let them manage their wealth without waiting for a call back. That means going beyond balance views to real, transaction-ready functionality that is secure, seamless, and always available.
Give advisors superpowers, not admin
Free relationship managers from repetitive tasks and arm them with real-time insights so they can focus on what matters. Digital transformation shouldn’t stop at the client interface. Advisers also need intelligent dashboards, tools to engage prospects and clients, and AI-powered support that saves time and sharpens advice.
Unify the experience front to back
Break down silos between channels, data, and operations. One platform, one view, one client journey. Clients don’t differentiate between departments, and neither should your platform. A unified experience ensures faster response times, fewer handoffs, and a consistent journey at every touchpoint.
Make value feel personal
Use behavioural data and contextual nudges to deliver more than service. Deliver relevance. Whether it’s a timely insight, a proactive recommendation, or a goal-based alert, small moments of personalisation add up to long-term trust.
Younger clients don’t need more touchpoints. They need fewer, better ones. Deliver that, and you won’t have to chase loyalty.
Interested in reading the UK Toolkit 2025? You can read and download the report online here.
About the UK Toolkit 2025
The UK Toolkit 2025 report examines the shape of wealth management in the UK today, and how leaders in the market are tackling the challenges of new technology, a changing client demographic, and how to stand out in an increasingly crowded field. It features 14 articles contributed by a range of industry participants – from wealth managers to vendors, to consultants focused on financial services. It also showcases 8 technology offerings relevant to the wealth management industry in the United Kingdom.
Our broader Toolkit Report Series covers thematic, geography and wealth manager segment-focused reports, each tasked with delving into the topics and supporting technologies of relevance to help wealth managers of all types better understand how they should bring technology into their business and in which areas.
Next in the series, we are looking at the US Registered Investment Advisor market in our US RIA Toolkit — discover more here.
About The Wealth Mosaic
The Wealth Mosaic is a UK-headquartered online solution provider directory and knowledge resource, focused specifically on the wealth management industry.
For wealth managers, the buy side of our marketplace, The Wealth Mosaic is designed to enable discovery of key solutions, solution providers and knowledge resources by specific business needs.
For solution providers and vendors, the sell side of our marketplace, The Wealth Mosaic exists to support the positioning, exposure and business development needs of these firms in a more complex and demanding market.
For more information, visit: www.thewealthmosaic.com
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