November 17, 2008 Bell Direct this week celebrates its first anniversary and a highly successful year during which the company has firmly established itself as the only new online share trading platform that is revolutionising share trading in Australia.
In just 12 months, Bell Direct has introduced a raft of innovations and Australian firsts for the online share trading sector and has shown its commitment to customers by providing them with a cost-effective, next-generation online share trading resource.
Bell Direct CEO, Arnie Selvarajah, said that Bell Direct had brought real competition to the online trading arena and would continue to be the sector's leading innovator.
"With the latest technology and a more user-friendly platform, Bell Direct has been able to offer our customers great levels of service, innovative products and, crucially for active traders and investors, the most competitive pricing," he said.
Among the innovations and Australian firsts Bell Direct has introduced to the market since it began operating in late 2007 include:
Bell Direct's low-cost offering to customers was acknowledged in August this year when the company won the award for Cheapest Online Broker in the prestigious AFR Smart Investor Blue Ribbon Awards 2008.
"Winning the AFR Smart Investor award was a major highlight in a first year full of important innovations and other milestones for Bell Direct and our customers," Selvarajah said.
He added that Bell Direct's technology had been put to the test during its first year of operation when the world's stock markets experienced extreme volatility in January 2008 and more recently during September and October.
The Bell Direct trading platform operated with 100 per cent uptime during these episodes and experienced no technical glitches.
"Our performance in market conditions not seen for a long time showed we could deliver on our promise of providing next generation technology and outstanding customer service," Selvarajah said.
"We have a business model that's been successfully bedded down in a relatively short period."
Bell Direct also received a vote of confidence in its performance earlier this year when part-owner Bell Financial Group (ASX:BFG) in August lifted its shareholding in the company from 25 per cent to 36 per cent.
According to BFG executive chairman Colin Bell, the increased stake was a direct reflection of BFG's confidence in the management team, the business model and, importantly, the results it has generated in a relatively short period of operation.
Selvarajah said that to coincide with its first birthday this week, Bell Direct was unveiling a refreshed brand identity, to reflect its next generation offer.
Following extensive research of its customers and the online share trading market, Bell Direct has positioned itself among active traders and investors as "my personal online broker."
"We believe that Bell Direct's offer – being trader-centric – is the way online trading should be and our new look and improved website reflects that," Selvarajah said.
"We have done a lot already to prove we are the most innovative online share trading company in the market, but we are now focused on the future and how much more we will be able to bring to our customers in the form of new share trading and wealth creation products and services."
The new identity launches with a print and online advertising campaign this week.
For further information:
Arnie Selvarajah Chief Executive Officer Bell Direct 03 8663 2783 arnie.selvarajah@belldirect.com.au
Simon Lloyd Senior Consultant Access Public Relations 0424 470 923 simon@accesspr.com.au