In a dynamic and competitive financial service industry, it is inevitable to provide several investment solutions in order to satisfy a great variety of customer demands and needs. As such, a local Swiss bank launched Portfolio Funds a few years ago. This product should not be regarded as a direct substitute for the Asset Management Mandate; therefore, the launch must not influence net new money figures of the mandate category. Due to the fact that various interconnections are assumed, the differentiation between both investment solutions is examined in this paper.

Under the assumption that advisors, as well as customers, might be crucial in this research framework, the analysis was conducted on the basis of the two subgroups. The development of customer-related data was assessed, followed by the collection as well as the examination of primary data in the form of survey responses provided by the client advisors.

Several factors indicate that the launch of the Portfolio Funds impacted inflows of a certain type of mandate structure. Also, patterns on various dimensions are observed. With respect to the survey results, the majority of advisors in the research context suggested a time disadvantage associated with the mandate. In conclusion, the information gained demonstrate some degree of advisor-related influence. While it is reasonable to assume that customer needs have contributed to the observations, it is subject to further analysis given the lack of relevant information. The information provides valuable insights into how the product categories are differentiated and perceived. As such, it is crucial to comprehensively understand relevant stakeholders to effectively position the products and to ongoingly provide value.