Article by Christina
Things are increasingly starting to return to “normal”. This week we have a number of clients who have opted to come into the Office for a face to face meeting.
A lot has been made over lockdown of a “new normal” – which in our business means the use of video platforms to conduct reviews and other meetings. Certainly, the technology is now there to allow us to do that. It always has been available, but until now most people have been reluctant to engage with us in that way.
The technology does help us a business because it allows us to engage with more clients as there’s no need for travel to and from appointments. However, technology is not the solution for everyone. Lots of our clients have been waiting patiently for the opportunity for a personal face to face meeting. We understand that – and in many ways we also prefer face to face engagement with people. In our business we are usually dealing with an individual’s life savings, whether that’s existing investments, or pensions which will need to last a lifetime. When you’re dealing with money matters it is reassuring to be able to get a real “feel” for a person’s circumstances and needs which can only really be done face to face. That goes both ways and its equally important for a prospective client to get a feel for us as advisers and judge whether we “feel right” to them.
One aspect of technology use that have moved along during lockdown is the use of our Personal Finance Portal. This has been available for a while now and allows clients to log on to a secure system to see details of their portfolio including reports and fund documents etc. Using the Portal cuts down the need to send paper statements and reports, which is more secure, environmentally friendly to boot. But again, one size doesn’t fit all and we are still happy to send everything out in the post.
So far then, the “new normal” for us looks like the old normal, but with a new emphasis on social distancing in the Office AND the use of technology for meetings online, where clients are comfortable to do that as another option.
