9. Do you keep office hours? Some advisors believe work is something that gets done between 9:00 and 5:00. The time outside those hours is your own time.
Verdict: Living in the past is bad. Everyone shops online today. You can shop at any hour. An item purchased on Amazon is expected to be shipped within about a day. Clients expect responsiveness. You might not be able to solve their problem immediately, but you need to acknowledge receipt of their communication.
10. Do you store everything in your head? Some advisors don’t keep notes. Others haven’t embraced CRM systems. They commit requests to memory. They’ve always done it that way.
Verdict: Living in the past is bad. There are more products and services today. Client needs can be more complex. They expect faster response times. If you are getting older, you might start forgetting things.
11. Do you send thank you notes? In a world of texts, e-mail and social media messaging, sending written thank you notes can seem old fashioned.
Verdict: Living in the past is good. Handwritten notes have staying power. You get credit for thank yous sent by e-mail or text too. It’s a form of respect. It also reinforces behavior.
Some advisors appear to live in the past. The traits that served them well can lead to more business, regardless of generation. Other habits can hold back your career. You need to know which are which.
Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book Captivating the Wealthy Investor is available on Amazon.