Four Things Every Advisor Shouldn’t Do

1. Process paperwork. If you’re still producing, populating, and processing paperwork for client acquisition and service issues, you’re costing your firm money. Plain and simple. Clients don’t choose to work with you because you’re really good at filling out a form. They work with you and are looking for you to plan with them, analyze their situation, and manage their financial affairs accordingly. Between technology solutions like LaserApp and your staff, your goal should be to touch as little “paper” (physical or electronic) as possible.
2. Data Entry. This is a close second to #1. Whether it’s a new or existing client, delegate responsibilities like data entry into financial planning software like eMoney or your CRM like Redtail to your team. Chances are they’ll be much more efficient at doing this anyway.
3. Managing the Office. A successful advisor that is comfortable delegating can’t remember the last time they’ve ordered a toner cartridge, purchased more coffee, or bought a ream of paper. Barring an emergency or extenuating circumstance, you shouldn’t see the inside of a Staples store. These are tasks that should be delegated to your office manager. If you agree, then take the next step towards making that happen and communicate that effectively with your team leader, assistant, or practice manager.
4. 4.Being first point of contact when the phone rings. If you’re in an office setting and environment where you’re still answering the phone yourself, it’s important that you look for a work-around solution (if you’re a SoloAdvisor (ß link to our description in our blog)) or ensure that you’ve empowered your Director of First Impressions or Practice Manager (if you’re part of a team) to filter and triage your calls. Not only can they help filter out the consistent wholesaler calls, but they can also triage client service inquiries. It’s important to ensure that you’ve effectively communicated to your team what they can legally handle and what needs to be handled by a licensed advisor. Once they’re clear on those tasks, you can empower them to communicate in a kind way to clients that they’d be happy to serve them on your (the advisor’s) behalf. This not only frees up the advisor and declutters their life but it also presents a process-driven and team approach perception to your clients.

The efficient advisor is a master delegator and understands what their responsibilities are and, more importantly, what responsibilities they can share with their team.