On countdown to Christmas, this adviser puts the finishing touches to online client tools and workspaces.
Monday
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in the office. We are all fine tuning our voices for the Brighter version of ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ and scratching our heads as to what to get for Secret Santa.
I am quite happy with my first task on my pad, which is to see an elderly client who wants to invest more money into his Isa.
Sometimes there is the opportunity in these appointments to help clients get online and age is no barrier to the desire to do it – they just need a bit of support.
The provider wants 4 per cent of the total amount invested if the client does not receive advice for the contribution. I think we can do better by offering him a 0.75 per cent service plan, which gives him access to financial advice when he needs it.
Tuesday
We are currently developing Client Exchange, our online workspace where both clients and advisers have input into an end-to-end financial planning process. Many clients of ours are now completing online terms of business and fact finds.
Today I am assisting our business development manager to develop the process further by offering clients an online triage short questionnaire, so they can make informed decisions about taking financial advice regarding a defined benefit transfer in the first place.
Wednesday
Today I made the final amendments and checks to our client-facing due diligence report. This was the result of weeks liaising with business development managers, gathering information to meet PROD requirements, researching funds, providers and research tools, and then creating a report that is easy to read and understand – and which is completely transparent with regards to the way we do investment business.
Thursday
What I love about this job is that there is never a dull moment, where one job looks just the same as the last.
A new client, the director of a newly formed limited company, wishes to have a general review of the whole of his finances, specifically focusing on tax efficiencies and relevant life plans.
He has already completed the terms of business and fact find via Client Exchange, so this morning’s task is to meet with him and offer advice, not spend precious time information gathering – perfect.
Not such good news on the in-house The Apprentice contest though. We all pop £5 into a kitty to support a contestant from the show, but mine has just been knocked out so I am out of the running.
Friday
Out at an awards event last night in Harrogate as I had been invited to join L&G at its table. The company won the award for best multi-asset product – funds we use quite regularly, so we were very pleased for the company.
More client work today – helping a final salary pension client get set up with the triage process I helped to develop earlier in the week. Great feedback from him, as he was really pleased to be given the chance to consider his options at the outset. He wanted to go ahead, so I can now set the wheels in motion with online fact finding via Client Exchange.
No doubt I will be spending a hectic weekend with my nine month old, visiting play gyms and going swimming (well, splashing). I will need to come back to work for a rest and to do it all again next week.
Bradley Parry is an independent financial adviser at Brighter Financial Services
If you would like to write a week in your life as a financial adviser, please contact: melanie.tringham@ft.com
