New Zealanders’ knowledge of KiwiSaver has increased slightly in the last quarter, but remains low.

The latest ASB survey shows just 20 percent of 30 to 39 year olds and 19 percent of 40 to 49 year olds rated their understanding of KiwiSaver as high.

ASB senior wealth economist Chris Tennent-Brown says scheme providers face the challenge of engaging with investors.

He says the traditional channels of investment documents, such as product disclosure statements and investment reports, won’t cut the mustard for many investors.

"This is where I think things like the mobile apps are interesting because people can do it at their leisure. And that's what we're seeing with this, as things get more convenient, people are being a little bit more inquisitive and funding out more."

Tennent-Brown says it highlights the need to keep on communicating with clients in modern ways.

"If we send out lengthy emails or long documents, they tend to get lost in the noise, and that's where we are seeing a preference for other ways of communicating with clients."