Monday, 22 April 2013 11:01
Billingham: Offer 'planning lite' to avoid RDR advice gap
Financial Planner Phil Billingham CFPCM from Phil Billingham Partnership, believes advisers should offer 'planning lite' for consumers with less complex needs.
Writing on the Financial Planning Standards Board global blog Financial Planet, Mr Billingham was questioned over whether fee-only advisers could serve smaller clients.
He said post-RDR UK advisers were concerned that they would have to stop looking after clients who were unprofitable.
Mr Billingham said: "In my opinion, it should be possible to offer a 'planning lite' version of what we do, perhaps delivered in the main by Paraplanners and other lower costed staff, so that those with less complex needs can still get value for money."
He was countered by Financial Planner Patrick Canion in Australia who said the Australian regulator was already working on a version of this. However, he said much ambiguity remained especially regarding how to serve smaller clients without compromising quality.
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Mr Canion said: "This means for us to serve smaller clients we can only rely on scale to reduce our unit costs down to level where we can be profitable. Doing this, without compromising the quality and the personalised nature of advice, is a challenge"
Mr Billingham argued this could be done via technology to keep costs lower.
"The use of technology is certainly part of the answer but I think it's all about efficiency. Build a proper business process, reduce 'bells and whistles' that the client does not value, streamline workflows and delegate non-core tasks."
Mr Billingham also said it was important that the Financial Planner could communicate the value of their fees to the consumers.
"People will not pay for things they cannot value. So if you cannot articulate your value, don't expect them to pay you," he said.
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Writing on the Financial Planning Standards Board global blog Financial Planet, Mr Billingham was questioned over whether fee-only advisers could serve smaller clients.
He said post-RDR UK advisers were concerned that they would have to stop looking after clients who were unprofitable.
Mr Billingham said: "In my opinion, it should be possible to offer a 'planning lite' version of what we do, perhaps delivered in the main by Paraplanners and other lower costed staff, so that those with less complex needs can still get value for money."
He was countered by Financial Planner Patrick Canion in Australia who said the Australian regulator was already working on a version of this. However, he said much ambiguity remained especially regarding how to serve smaller clients without compromising quality.
{desktop}{/desktop}{mobile}{/mobile}
Mr Canion said: "This means for us to serve smaller clients we can only rely on scale to reduce our unit costs down to level where we can be profitable. Doing this, without compromising the quality and the personalised nature of advice, is a challenge"
Mr Billingham argued this could be done via technology to keep costs lower.
"The use of technology is certainly part of the answer but I think it's all about efficiency. Build a proper business process, reduce 'bells and whistles' that the client does not value, streamline workflows and delegate non-core tasks."
Mr Billingham also said it was important that the Financial Planner could communicate the value of their fees to the consumers.
"People will not pay for things they cannot value. So if you cannot articulate your value, don't expect them to pay you," he said.
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