Published by Paul West
I was listening to the great Eagles song, Take it Easy, on iTunes Radio recently. The song made me reflect and think about what clients want to feel from the services provided by their Wealth Advisor and advisory firm. I would change one word in the title to “Make it Easy” in thinking about ways to provide fantastic service to clients.
“Make it Easy” for me as a client to do the following:
- Sleep soundly on my pillow.
- I want to know that you are working hard to protect what I have worked so hard to accumulate. Help me understand that I may not outlive my money.
- Get answers to my questions.
- Help me get answers in a timely manner. I don’t need 24/7 personal support when you are in Bahamas for a family trip, yet I do need your firm to respond to me in an expedient manner. It’s okay to say “I received your request and will be back to you shortly with an answer.” The feeling of lack of responsiveness will make me look elsewhere.
- Learn your technology.
- I’m willing to login to view my personal accounts. I already do all my banking online. Since I don’t do view my investment accounts online frequently, remind me in your review meetings how and when to best utilize.
- Not have to play hide and seek.
- I’ve grown up. I don’t want to seek out fees in long documents or prospectuses. Tell me all my fees upfront. I can take the numbers, especially when you are providing value. If you don’t provide, I can find them online very fast so you might as well hit them head-on.
- Play nice in the sandbox.
- With any other advisors (CPAs, attorneys, insurance agents, etc.) that I may have outside of your firm, be courteous, responsive and additive to the relationship. Help me quarterback all my relationships so I am not the common independent decision maker. You are saving my time and making yourself indispensable.
These “Make it Easy” steps seem so simple just like the Eagles refrain to Take it Easy. However, karaoke sounds easy too until you actually get onstage and sing. If your firm can’t do these well, time to give up singing their song.