Creating an Exceptional Client Experience as an Advisor

 

We recently heard a compelling story from an advisor that perfectly captured the impact a strong client experience can have – and the damage a weak one can do. To retain (and acquire) strong client relationships, advisors need to have a technology-supported approach that gives their clients confidence in their financial picture. Today, we explore what it looks like to create a high-touch, confidence-inspiring client experience through an integrated technology stack.

Losing Your Growth to Poor Client Experiences

Let’s revisit the story I mentioned a moment ago. An advisor was chatting with an old friend whose money was managed by another firm. As they were chatting about their picture of retirement, the advisor started asking questions – important ones about their rate of return and making sure they weren’t on track to run out of money.

It became quickly apparent that not only did that client not know the answer to those questions, they had never discussed them with their advisor. The advisor was surprised. Their friend, more so. They didn’t know you could have answers to specific, logistical questions like the ones the advisor was asking about their retirement plans.

Shortly after, this friend moved a large sum of money to this advisor under WealthPlan Group. The story is telling – both as a warning and as a prescription for success.

You Can’t Promise Outcomes, But You Can Deliver Clarity

Communicating your value is a critical skill every advisor needs, but limitations are ever present. This is especially true in regards to the “sexier” metrics like investment performance. While every client wants to believe you’ll help them outperform the markets – in highs and lows – you can’t guarantee it. So when it comes to communicating your value, what can you do and say?

The cornerstone of client experience (and satisfaction) is clarity. Your clients need to know where they stand in regards to the pacing of their financial future. With clear information, they can plot a clear course – a close second best to a “guaranteed” course.

From retirement to education to lifestyle purchases, how confident are you clients that they know where they stand and what they need to do next? With clear communication and accurate data, your clients can weather market downturns and turbulence. Clients are more likely to find a different advisor because they don’t know where they stand.

The Cornerstone of Client Experience: An Integrated Tech Stack

While financial advisors build their book through relationships, there’s a critical truth that grounds client experience: the large majority of your relationship with your clients is not in person. That means that the same clarity, insight, and value that you deliver in person needs to be matched through the other ways they interact with your brand. In the modern industry, most of that experience is made up the advisor’s tech stack. There are two key challenges that advisors wrestle with in delivering an exceptional client experience.

How Do I Find a Vetted, Integrated Tech Stack?

There’s an old phrase we like at WealthPlan Group: “Learn from other people’s mistakes. It’s less expensive.” It drives our business model, bringing together a community of successful advisors to learn from each other.

One of the ways we approach this through our RIA models is by providing one of the industry’s most integrated tech stacks. Our combination of tools are the same ones used by our advisors. We’ve leveraged our resources and scale to do the due diligence you would have to do on your own to deliver a polished system, ready to use from day one.

I’m Struggling to Adopt my Tech Stack – It’s Too Much to Set Up and Sustain

This is a common tech stack problem for many advisors when they’re on their own and don’t have a department of qualified individuals to take care of this stuff for them. They’re usually heavily expensive, and it’s hard to get out of the shallow end to use each tool’s full potential. Advisors struggle because of:

  • A steep learning curve
  • Regular platform updates that change user experience
  • A heavy, detail-oriented burden in getting platforms configured with client data

The problem? The modern advisor needs a robust tech stack to stay competitive. These tech stacks deliver the kinds of insights and clarity that retain your clients’ trust. Monthly bank statements and budgeting tools aren’t enough.

Some advisors still choose to tackle this need on their own, usually with little to no help from their RIA. At WealthPlan Group, our advisors benefit from a range of support options to maximize your ROI from your tech stack. From virtual training resources to in-person training sessions to outsourced management of key support roles, we provide advisors with the tools to turn a tech stack into an exceptional client experience.

An RIA Built to Help You Deliver Excellence

At WealthPlan Group, our focus is to help advisors grow their business by providing tailored support that meets critical needs. With our community and resources, you are empowered to focus on the relationships and planning that drew you to the business. To learn more, get in touch with our team and determine what next steps will help move you forward.

 

 

 

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which Investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable, however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Statements of forecast and trends are for informational purposes and are not guaranteed to occur in the future. There is also no assurance that any investment strategy will assure success or protect against loss.

Investment Advisory services are offered through WealthPlan Investment Management, LLC (“WPIM”).  WPIM and WealthPlan Partners (“WPP”) are both registered investment advisors and subsidiaries of WealthPlan Group, LLC.

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