November 21, 2025
4 minute read
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People saving for retirement are concerned with more than just investment performance, they also want resources that help them plan ahead. As a result, providers that effectively meet that need see greater success in expanding and deepening client relationships. As our data demonstrates, plan providers with helpful resources are rewarded with more plan participants willing to expand into other wealth products.
Data from NPS Prism, focusing on participants with 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plans, demonstrates the impact of improving the participant experience on product adoption – specifically, how helpful participants find the tools, resources, and insights offered by their provider. Firms that invest in participant experience set themselves apart as true financial partners and, in turn, cultivate deeper relationships and investments over time.
Top providers provide more helpful investment resources
Plan providers with top-quartile NPS see 74% of their clients rating their investment resources as helpful, compared to only 55% of clients of bottom-quartile providers.
Top brands see this as a strategic priority, tending to invest more in participant education, digital tools, and actionable insights designed to simplify financial decision-making. And their clients are taking notice, citing improvements in these providers’ “helpfulness of resources ” at ~3x the improvement rate (8-10 ppt increase over the past year) vs. the market average (3 ppt increase over the same time frame). As leaders continue to prioritize this element, their gap vs. the rest of the industry may continue to widen.
Resource-rich providers build trust that fuels product expansion
This strategic focus on investment resources has meaningful impact on providers’ books of business. Providers in the top quartile of rankings for “helpfulness of investment resources” saw an over 2x greater percentage of plan participants expand their wallet into other wealth management products (such as IRAs, brokerage accounts, or other wealth management products) than providers in the bottom quartile for this element. Over 30% of clients at these top providers expanded their relationship with the firm, underscoring the potential power of guidance materials and investment resources when harnessed effectively.
Retirement plan providers looking to compete in a market filled with mobility and choice should take note that helpful resources and support tools are no longer just a satisfaction measure, but a growth lever.
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