Preparing pensions for a new world

The website of Pensioenfonds Detailhandel needed a refresh, with a stronger focus on the questions and situations of participants. Instead of simply broadcasting information, the content has been reorganized around real help requests. Fewer assumptions, more alignment with what people actually want to know.

That’s still quite rare. Portals are often treated as an afterthought, while public websites receive all the attention. But for a consistent digital experience, it shouldn’t matter where a participant looks. The portal therefore needed to match the website in usability, structure and visual identity.

Nobody visits a pension website for fun. People come because they have a question or need clarity about something. In short: something is going on in their lives. And that had to be reflected in our designs.

The environment is changing. With new requirements from the AFM (Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets), the bar is set higher than ever. That calls for a different approach. Not only because of changing regulations under the new pension system, but also because participants themselves expect more.

The portal matters. This is where decisions are made and actions are taken. The website helps participants understand; the portal asks them to act. And at that moment, clarity and ease are essential. Clear steps, a familiar look and feel, and explanations that help without getting in the way.

Everything now comes together: continuity, clarity and trust. Not by telling more, but by aligning better with users. In this way, we help nearly 2 million people manage their pensions more confidently, with less stress.

And this is just the beginning. We will continue developing this approach together with Pensioenfonds Detailhandel and with other pension funds that want to take the same step.