At this year’s Unbundled Uncovered conference, hosted by Substantive Research at the iconic Metropolitan Club in New York City, SS&C Tier1’s Vice President of Capital Markets, Douglas Christensen, joined conference founder Mike Carrodus for a compelling on-stage interview.
In a conversation that cut through buzzwords and hype, Christensen shared a practical, front-line perspective on how sell-side firms can unlock real value in a post-MiFID, data-rich world—and why CRM adoption still fails without a user-first mindset.
Navigating Complexity with Clarity
Christensen opened with a pointed observation:
“It’s no longer just about collecting data. It’s about making it useful—where, when, and how the front office needs it.”
That statement hit home for an audience grappling with the pressure to prove ROI across every stage of the investment lifecycle. While sell-side institutions are flooded with data—client interactions, research readership, CRM logs—many still lack the workflows and integration needed to convert that information into measurable outcomes.
Tier1, Christensen explained, is working to close that gap.
“We’re working with clients to build seamless workflows that support better client engagement, improve transparency, and enable smart cross-sell—all inside the tools they already use.”
Client-Centric, Not Feature-Centric
One of the central themes of the discussion was usability. For many firms, CRM tools have become bloated, underused, and misaligned with the pace of the front office. Christensen emphasized that CRM must meet relationship managers and salespeople where they work—not force them into static workflows that slow them down.
Tier1’s “front-office-first” approach is built on integrations with tools like Microsoft Outlook and Salesforce. With Tier1 Inbox, users can capture and access CRM insights without ever leaving their inbox.
“You can’t treat CRM like an obligation—it has to feel like a competitive advantage,” Christensen said.
“If it’s not saving time or unlocking new insight, it won’t get used.”
The Future of CRM: Outlook as the Hub, AI as the Catalyst
Looking ahead, Christensen outlined a future where CRM is less a destination and more a background utility—one that seamlessly operates through the tools Capital Markets professionals already live in.
Tier1 is doubling down on Outlook as the primary interface for CRM engagement, turning the inbox into a dynamic command center for client interactions, pipeline updates, meeting prep, and post-call follow-ups.
The next frontier? Artificial Intelligence.
By embedding AI directly into Tier1 Inbox, firms will soon be able to automate repetitive tasks, surface next-best actions, summarize call notes, and proactively identify client signals—all without toggling between apps or dashboards.
“AI isn’t just about prediction—it’s about freeing up the front office to focus on relationships,” Christensen said. “That’s where the real alpha is.”
Watch the full video of Doug’s conversation with Mike Carrodus for more real-world insights into the future of CRM, workflow automation, and client engagement in Capital Markets.
