Reuters hones search engine

Reuters news agency has installed technology to enable clients to search for financial data more quickly and efficiently.

The system, from vendor Fast, allows subscribers to Reuter’s flagship Xtra product to use a more familiar search interface that resembles a search engine.

Previously, clients who could not find the information needed for an investment opportunity would either use a competitor, give up, or call the helpdesk, says Ray Tomkins, search architect at Reuters.

‘The helpdesk helped by using in-house tools. We have found that helpdesk queries are going down and we are less likely to lose customers to competitors,’ he said.

Tomkins says other solutions usually provide more structured information, which is not always what clients want.

‘The presentation of these products can be quite complicated. This means the normal navigation paths are very easy to follow, but you might want to just type something in and see what comes up.’

The Fast system enables Reuters to take advantage of both methods. ‘We have structured data and we can present the user with all sorts of drill-down criteria,’ said Tomkins.

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