Diary of an Adviser: Steve Embrey

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Diary of an Adviser: Steve Embrey

This adviser is resilient in the face of hardships brought about by the coronavirus pandemic

Monday

I start the day with my early exercise. 

I often go into the office at PI Financial, a few minutes away, but following the introduction of lockdown, I have been working from home a lot more. 

I speak to a gentleman who is keen to review his life cover and make sure that his new policy includes pandemics like coronavirus. 

During the afternoon, I have a conference call with one of the providers with a market update. 

Tuesday

Tuesday starts a little later as there is no longer any urgency to get over to the office, so I have breakfast and then indulge in my constitutional walk.

My workload has been affected by the impact of coronavirus. I have a few remortgage enquiries but nowhere near the amount of business that I would normally be dealing with.

I put any negative thoughts firmly behind me and start evaluating my client base with a view to contacting them in an effort to reassure them about the vagaries of the stock market and its impact on their pensions and investments.

So, my day was a bit of a belt-and-braces approach to make sure my clients felt a little reassured given the current situation.

Wednesday

Wednesday provides an opportunity to complete a few compliance requirements from my network PI Financial.

I have been asked to check a recent pension case, so I need to submit the complete case file. PI asks its advisers to complete two compliance tests every month, so I plough through both of those. 

PI sets its own exercises to make sure all their advisers will easily clear the minimum CPD and structured CPD limits. 

Having completed the tests, the rest of the day is a bit mad as I have three client calls back to back.  

Thursday

I undertake regular ongoing client reviews for MK Financial Planning in Bristol, which takes up a number of hours each week.

One of my favourite things about this job is that I get to look at such varied issues, but that does mean I have to brush up on a number of very different technical areas in order to respond to each client.

Friday

My walk in the wonderful warm sunshine sets me up for the day ahead.

Things rapidly go downhill though, as I try to get through to a few providers who are all now working from home, so there are massive delays. 

A call from a client who is selling the family farm in Buckinghamshire and wants to mitigate inheritance tax and create a legacy for his children is quite complex and involves a lot of leg work.

On the plus side, all the investment clients I have contacted today are remarkably upbeat and are not thinking of cashing in their chips. They are all quite resigned to the situation and are pleased that I have been in contact. 

Steve Embrey is an independent financial adviser at PI Financial

If you would like to write a Diary of an Adviser then please contact Ima Jackson-Obot at ima.jacksonobot@ft.com