The German financial services market is in deep crisis. Deregulation and the new means of communication have fostered competition and made the market a transparent level playing field. Moreover, customers increasingly demand individualized solutions to their financial problems. Many financial services providers reacted by merging to realize scale effects and adapted "me-too-strategies" that will not provide for a competitive advantage. In this book, the life-cycle- solution approach is presented. This anti-cyclical strategy puts the customer and his life-cycle in the center of interest, in order to service him according to his latent needs - wherever it is economically sound to do so. However, this book does not stop at the strategic level, but presents two concepts that help to better utilize customer relationships. Using IT as an enabler, the quality of financial advice can be improved and at the same time cost can be lowered due to streamlined consultation processes INDICE Introduction.- Definitions.- Mega Trends in the Financial Services Industry.- Strategic Options.- Life-Cycle Solution Provision.- Concepts for Life-Cycle Solution Provision.- Outlook: The Importance of Trust.- Summary and Outlook