Alan Sislen agrees, "The client doesn't care how the information was integrated, or how the performance measurement calculation is done. They want to have less paperwork, more understandable reporting and, overall, a simple, straightforward relationship with their advisor."
Cerulli's Rabun agrees that most clients are not interested in the inner workings of the system or memorizing more acronyms. They want the basics: preservation of wealth and growth of assets in a relatively safe environment, controlled by an individual with ethics and a solid value proposition.
Says SunGard's Waymire, "One of the definitions of a trusted advisor is that they are knowledgeable and have the tools-and can access them 24/7-to develop sophisticated solutions and deliver them to a client with confidence."
Smith Barney's Williams agrees, and adds, "It's not just what you're allowed to do with the investments, but how you do it from front end to back end. We engineered to make this the platform for the next century that truly serves the client."