Client Case
DSM Pension Services
opt for personal
pension environment
Digital document dossier and
multi-device pension website
DSM Pension Services achieves a major improvement
in pension communication by setting up a personal
My Environment
Members can now see all of their pension documents easily
online via a personal digital file. By reducing the physical
paper flow, My Environment contributes to the sustainability
targets, whilst easing the burden on the pension administration and delivering significant cost savings.
www.keylane.com
software that matters
Modern, customer-focused communication
DSM Pension Services decided to partner with Keylane for both pension funds, where the
old website was developed and hosted. “This site was in need of replacement, but we
were satisfied with it. For us it was actually a logical extension to work again with
Keylane”, says Knoops. “They have a lot of in-house pension knowledge and are
therefore well aware of what a fund needs in terms of pension communication.”
“WE WANTED TO
MOVE TO A MODERN
LOOK & FEEL, WITH
SIMPLE NAVIGATION”
After analysis of the use of the old sites, the choice was made for an ‘event-driven’
navigation, where the website is divided into events relevant for pensions, such as
retirement, divorce and death. This has resulted in measurable improvements in the speed
of navigation and a much lower bounce rate (visitors leaving the site after one page and
not clicking anywhere).
The opportunities and resources to share information accurately and securely are becoming easier
and quicker to use. Today, communication is often fulfilled online and increasingly, for many
members, entirely digitally.
Pension providers and DSM Pension Services see this shift to online communication. The increase in
the provision of digital information by employers and other agencies was for DSM Pension Services
the reason to start looking for a new online pension communications platform.
Two phases
In addition to the design and completion of the new website, the project was
implemented and delivered in two phases. The first phase covered the
implementation of the digital file and uploading of all group documents, UPO’s (Dutch
Uniform Pension Statement), pay-out specifications and corporate correspondence in the
new online environment. Phase two made it possible to automatically make available to
the member all documents from external document database systems. This involved
working closely with various software vendors and partners in the area of document
The current websites of the two funds, pdnpensioen.nl (DSM) and spf-pensioenen.nl
management and fulfilment. A notification mechanism that reports when a new document
(SABIC), were outdated and could not meet contemporary requirements. The use of
is available for members and a pension planner are also part of the My Environment.
smartphones and tablets for example was proving difficult to optimise with the navigation
getting in the way of finding information quickly. Ton Knoops, IT-Coordinator Information
Services at DSM Pension Services: “We wanted to move to a digital document flow and
a My Environment, where we can accommodate pension data of current and former
employees. The completeness of files and certainly the timeliness of the provision of
“IT HAS NEVER BEEN JUST
ABOUT COST SAVING
FOR US”
DSM Pension Services
Contemporary, fast and full pension communication for
information formed an important part of this. And we wanted to move to a modern look
& feel, but with simple and intuitive navigation.”
DSM Pension Services looks after the provision of pension funds of
DSM Nederland and SABIC. It is a full service provider in the field
Total Solution
of pensions; advice, administration, asset management and
With its online platform, Keylane offers a total solution for digital pension
implementation are all handled by the company. Together DSM
communication. Think of a My Environment secured with DigiD for members
and SABIC have nearly 40,000 pension scheme members. The
(DigiD stands for digital identity, to get access to Dutch government and health care
entire communication layer of the pension provision, including the
websites), the Pensioen123 website or an easy to operate pension planner to provide
generation of the UPO’s is hosted at Keylane.
personal documents can be published, which in the context of the ‘obligation to provide’
Client Case
can also be monitored within the regulation on pension communication.
The ever greater provision of information digitally by the employer
and other bodies led DSM Pension Services to host pension data of
current and former employees in a digital My Environment. This
makes the information for members more accessible and can
SOLUTION
APPROACH
RESULT
members
All member information in a personalised environment:
complete filing
Sustainable solution and cost savings through reduced
physical mail flow
Technical management and tracking content from one
environment
insight into purchasing power after retirement. Within the My Environment, general and
DEMAND
Results
further improve communication.
Digitisation of pension communication provides support in terms of
compliance with laws and regulations (Law on pension
communication and Pension123), and also helps to reduce costs by
offering self-service to members.
Websites more usable for smartphones and tablets
‘Event-driven’ navigation, web sites more searchable
Compliance with laws and legislation
Knoops: “We are getting a lot of positive feedback on the website and we note also that
members can find their information faster than before.” Members also appreciate the fact
that they now have their own digital file. 20% of the active members say they only wish to
receive the communication digitally. And this participation rate is growing every month.
“When all the correspondence is in the personal file, it will be even faster.”
When a new document is placed in My File, the member will receive an email or an SMS.
Members themselves have the option of indicating in what manner they wish to be kept
informed. Members also appreciate the choice to now only receive information digitally
and, for example to make a sustainable contribution to reducing the paper flow.
Saving and management
By sending fewer physical mails, over time there will be huge cost savings,
though in principle this was not the intention here. The implementation of online
services has delivered multiple benefits for DSM Pension Services. “By reducing the
physical paper flow, My Environment contributes to our sustainability targets and results in
easing the burden on the pension administration. The cost savings, which benefits the
pension funds is only one part of the story.”
The new websites are responsive, which means they adapt themselves to the device (and
the display screen of this device). In terms of management, a responsive website is a
godsend: content is now in one area and also the technical management can be done from
“DIGITAL COMMUNICATION ALSO
EASES THE BURDEN FOR THE
PENSION ADMINISTRATION”
“The implementation paths were short”, says Michael Olij, Project &
a single environment.
Service Manager at Keylane. “With three to four months for both
contracts, with follow-up in phase two for the computerised version of the
“KEYLANE HAS A LOT OF IN-HOUSE PENSION
KNOWLEDGE AND IS THEREFORE WELL AWARE
OF WHAT A FUND NEEDS IN TERMS OF PENSION
COMMUNICATION”
digital file, we stayed well within the schedule.”
Logistical monitoring
The biggest challenge with the introduction of the digital file was to avoid
redundant storage of documents and the scope of the logistics monitoring of all
digital correspondence. “This means that all information in the personal files must be linked to
the various systems at DSM Pension Services. In other words, the pension system, outgoing
cash system and document record management system,” Knoops said.
About Keylane
Pleasant cooperation
DSM and Keylane jointly set up the communication systems of DSM Pension
Keylane is the market leader in the
Our solutions already have many satis-
we are able to deliver outstanding solu-
Services as well as possible. “This was very pleasant cooperation,” Olij notes.
Benelux for flexible SaaS based solu-
fied users in over a hundred well-known
tions for all of our clients every time.
“For them it was a big step to let go of the old site, which they had already put a lot of time
tions that underpin the core processes
insurers and pension institutions. These
into. But through our previous cooperation and long-standing relationship, we know what we
of life and non-life insurers and pension
companies have achieved a range of
Visit keylane.com to learn more or to
have together.” For Keylane, the particular challenge was in working with multiple external
institutions. With continued expan-
benefits from adopting Keylane solu-
find your local office.
suppliers and linking them all separately with the digital file. “As a supplier we had contact
sion and offices in also Germany, the
tions including cost reduction, shorter
with various parties to find the best solution possible for DSM. Looking back, it was smooth
Nordics and the United Kingdom our
time-to-market and increased customer
and went well.”
ambition is to become the number one
satisfaction. Thanks to our deep industry
provider in Europe.
expertise and world class technology,
www.keylane.com
Users positive
The sites are divided into a public area with general information and a My
Environment in which members log in using DigiD. The personal My Environment
Belgium • Germany • the Netherlands (HQ) • Norway • United Kingdom • Sweden
can be accessed via the public websites pdnpensioen.nl (DSM) and spf-pensioenen.nl
(SABIC). By using a so-called responsive design, both sites are user friendlier and optimised
for use on mobile devices and tablets.
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