[2023 Asia Fund Awards] Four Best Sales Companies Selected for Strengthening Customer Service

(From left) Jang Seok-hoon, CEO of Samsung Securities; Kim Seong-hyun and Park Jeong-rim, CEOs of KB Securities; Jeong Il-moon, CEO of Korea Investment & Securities; Jeong Young-chae, CEO of NH Investment & Securities

[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] The list of companies awarded Best Sales Company at the 14th Asia Fund Awards featured those with strong consumer touchpoints and efforts to enhance customer service.

Samsung Securities obtained the Consumer-Centered Management (CCM) certification last year, evaluated by the Korea Consumer Agency and overseen by the Fair Trade Commission. It also received the highest grade (Good) among financial companies evaluated in the 2021 Consumer Protection Status Assessment conducted by the Financial Supervisory Service. This was the only company in the securities industry and one of only three among 26 evaluated companies to receive this grade. Its investor protection activities were also notable. In June last year, Samsung Securities established the "Financial Product Monitoring Guidelines." These guidelines set up a separate monitoring procedure to identify and respond in advance to potential risks arising after the sale of financial products. A process was also created to enable related departments to respond immediately for investor protection.

Korea Investment & Securities supplied mainly stable products such as bond-mixed types reflecting increased uncertainty, selling about KRW 600 billion annually in retail despite the contraction of the public fund market. Private equity funds also showed a high growth rate compared to other companies, selling about KRW 1.1 trillion centered on bond-mixed types, pre-IPO, and alternative funds, maintaining the top balance. It was the first domestic securities firm to introduce a fractional trading system for overseas stock ETFs, allowing investments in overseas ETFs starting from KRW 1,000. Since the Financial Consumer Protection Act came into effect in March 2021, Korea Investment & Securities proactively established a post-management department for private fund risk management and reorganized consumer protection-related work systems such as processes to comply with the Financial Consumer Protection Act to protect customer assets.

KB Securities has strengthened its product launch process with a focus on consumer protection. Under the foundation of consumer protection, it has worked to expand a diverse lineup of products reflecting customer demands. It gained attention with various portfolios in a challenging stock market environment with increased volatility. KB Securities supplied products ranging from pure stocks to multi-type products. Among these, it newly introduced projects such as unlisted investment and convertible bond investments in listed REITs. KB Securities also continues to enhance customer satisfaction by actively managing customer funds through "Fund Post-Management Services" (such as SMS notifications on returns and losses) for fund products. In September last year, it developed an integrated private fund management system allowing management by individual funds, raising the monitoring level of sales companies managing customer assets to a higher standard.

NH Investment & Securities focused on providing solutions to help customers manage their assets in a rapidly changing market. Since 2016, NH Investment & Securities has been operating public funds using its proprietary portfolio, the QV Portfolio, based on research views and asset allocation logic. The "QV Global Asset Allocation 30" fund achieved first place in operating returns among asset allocation funds last year. The "QV Global Asset Allocation 50/70" funds ranked second and fourth, respectively. NH Investment & Securities also implements proactive protection measures for investors. During the suspension of Ostem Implant trading and the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, it promptly informed related fund customers of the situation, halted additional purchases, and provided guidance on future response plans.

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