Financial Advisors: Does Your Client Service Hijack Your Schedule?

(This post is authored by Jeff Staggs, a ClientWise coach and Master Certified Coach.)

We notice that many financial advisors, including some very successful financial advisors, bemoan their lack of time.

They always seem to be in reactive mode, never being able to get ahead of the issues that seem to commandeer their schedule.

Ring any bells?

Here’s a question. Is the issue really “lack of time”?

Or...alternatively...could it be possible that you are over-committing yourself, especially as it pertains to your client service deliverables?

Here's an exercise that might free you up. Re-frame your perceived lack of time into terms of over-commitment. By way of example: 

• Take an exceedingly honest and realistic view of your day and week in terms of how you are spending your time.

• If necessary, do a time-audit in order to determine how you are actually spending your time. [For an example of a time-audit worksheet, click here.]

• Take a look at your existing service model with respect to what commitments it represents. Have you and your team promised too much to your clients, given your resources at hand?

• Alternatively, what do your clients want and expect from you and your team service-wise? [How do you know this, by the way? Have you asked them recently?]

As you consider these factors, you might realize that your lack of time actually represents over committing and by inference, being out of integrity with your commitments or the structure/staff to fulfill them. Moreover, we have observed that some financial advisors deliver client services that the clients don’t really value, appreciate, or want. [Have you done a client survey recently?]

Free up time for you and your team by becoming really clear on your commitments. This could become a win-win-win-win for everyone involved: your clients, your team, your family, and you.

By re-framing your lack of time to over-commitment, you will shine the light on specific corrective actions that you can take, e.g. adjusting your client service model, re-allocating the roles, responsibilities, and resources on your team, fine tuning your client segmentation, etc. This is a much more powerful place than always being at the mercy of your schedule.

To register for an upcoming ClientWise webinar that guides you to focus on your most important priorities through year-end, see below: