Everyday, whether you actively acknowledge it or not, you’re fighting with every other firm out there to manage clients’ wealth. The question you should be asking yourself each day is what separates you from your competitors. Why would a client choose you?
If you’re struggling to find ways to get a leg up on your competition, we’ve put together some solutions
based on how Amazon thinks about their customers and what you could learn from them.
1. Be Obsessed With Your Customers and Listen to them
Amazon, as you know, is in the business of selling physical things. There are some products that you can pass on to your customers, but largely you’re in the world of management. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn anything from your customers, however. Every little piece of feedback you get, you should be documenting and revisiting. Likewise, be proactive: ask your clients what you could be doing better or what would make their experience with your firm better. Maybe you don’t respond to emails promptly, or your desk is always messy, even small things like this can have a big impact on who stays with you and who jumps ship.
2. Invest in Relationships
There’s an old adage that says “If you do something well, your customer will tell 10 people, do it poorly and they’ll tell 100.” This is true in every single market, but few more so than yours. In a relationship-based market, you need to make sure those clients think the world of you. We don’t need to tell you that a lot of wealth management work comes from referrals. Make sure you take this to heart and go above and beyond to keep these relationships strong and trusted.
3. Deliver More Value Than Your Customers Expect
Speaking of above and beyond… Hopefully, we don’t need to tell you that underpromise and over-deliver are hallmarks of any good business, but just in case, here it is. If you have the opportunity to deliver more value to your customers, do it. This one rule encompasses the prior two points as well. You can strengthen your relationships by doing 110% and it’s a great way to show that you’re obsessed with customers. This can be as simple as showing them a better account to invest in or showing them extra options for a retirement fund. Any way you want to deliver this value, figure out what your client wants and then exceed it.
This is not an overnight fix, but if you start thinking like a world-class customer experience business, then you can increase your book of business and provide greater value to your clients.
