The recent joining of forces between Avantus and Ciphr marks an exciting new chapter for Avantus and the FlexGenius benefits platform. As part of the Ciphr family, Avantus will play a key role in delivering what many UK businesses have been seeking - a truly seamless, end-to-end HR and benefits solution. CEO Philip Curtis shares his insights on what drove the decision, the future direction of the business, and why this partnership represents a significant step forward for both companies and their customers.
Continuing to head up the Avantus business, CEO Philip Curtis sees the move as a natural progression in the company's evolution. "We felt we'd reached a point in our journey where we needed a bigger partner to give us a boost in terms of investment and strategy," he explains.
The partnership promises to bring significant advantages to existing Avantus customers, with the company's popular FlexGenius platform remaining at the heart of its offering. "It's absolutely business as usual for our customers," Curtis emphasises. "All existing relationships will be maintained in the same way, with the same people."
What makes this partnership particularly compelling is the complementary nature of both businesses. Ciphr brings to the table approximately four times the number of clients in the UK and overseas, many of whom are interested in adding benefits packages to their existing HR solutions. "The synergy was very obvious," Curtis notes. "We can certainly cross-sell into their environment and vice versa."
Future plans
Looking ahead, Curtis is particularly excited about the opportunity to create a seamless end-to-end HR and benefits proposition. "HR technology in the UK has traditionally been quite disjointed," he explains. "You'll find that in a typical business, they'll have about four or five different products - something for recruitment, something for HR management, something else for benefits, something for e-learning. It’s still very fragmented.”
The partnership aims to change this landscape. "What Ciphr represents is the opposite of that," Curtis says. "The various technologies are joined up, and with benefits being integrated fairly soon, an employer will have one login and one journey, basically from hire to retire."
For existing customers, the partnership brings the promise of continued and increased investment in the FlexGenius platform. "We're committed to staying ahead of the market and incorporating the latest technologies," Curtis confirms, which includes exploring the opportunities AI represents.
The move is also expected to open up new opportunities in the enterprise space. "With the credibility we'll gain being part of Ciphr, it will open up bigger opportunities for us," Curtis notes.
Two decades of market leadership
Reflecting on the journey that led to this point, Curtis takes particular pride in what the company has achieved since he founded the business 20 years ago: "Creating a great, motivated team has probably been my proudest achievement," he says. This commitment to excellence is regularly reflected in customer feedback, with the company frequently receiving praise for its exceptional service levels.
As the benefits landscape continues to evolve, with increasing focus on physical, mental, and financial wellbeing, the partnership positions both companies to better serve their customers' changing needs. "Technology has really helped communicate and drive benefits into most businesses," Curtis observes, noting how employee expectations around benefits have increased dramatically in recent years.
For Avantus customers, this partnership represents a commitment to continued innovation and service excellence, backed by increased resources and technological capabilities.
“Ultimately, being part of the Ciphr family will help us deliver what the market has been looking for,” summarises Curtis. “With continued and increased investment in our platform, we can achieve our goal of being the premium benefits platform of choice in the UK.”
