60% Increase in Goal-Based Plan Adoption with Enhanced Intake
Executive Summary
Santos Financial Research Group, a growing RIA firm, faced challenges in engaging clients and achieving consistent adoption of comprehensive financial plans. To address this, Golden Door Asset collaborated with Santos to design and implement a goals-based intake process focused on uncovering client aspirations and aligning financial plans with individual objectives. The redesigned process led to a remarkable 60% increase in financial plan adoption, demonstrating the power of a client-centered, goals-driven approach in financial planning.
The Challenge
Santos Financial Research Group, managing over $350 million in assets for approximately 250 high-net-worth families, recognized a discrepancy between the comprehensive financial plans they meticulously crafted and the rate at which clients were actively engaging with and adopting them. While the firm’s advisors provided excellent service and possessed deep financial expertise, only 40% of new clients were fully implementing the firm's recommended financial plans within the first year.
This low adoption rate translated to several significant challenges:
- Missed Opportunities for Growth: With clients hesitant to fully embrace comprehensive planning, opportunities for proactive tax planning, sophisticated estate planning strategies, and optimized investment allocations were being missed. This limited the firm's ability to demonstrate its full value and generate additional revenue.
- Client Frustration and Attrition Risk: When clients felt disconnected from the financial planning process or perceived it as too complex or irrelevant to their immediate concerns, satisfaction declined, increasing the risk of attrition. Santos estimated that a 1% increase in client attrition could result in a $3.5 million loss of assets under management.
- Inefficient Advisor Time: Advisors were spending significant time explaining plan details, addressing client concerns, and attempting to persuade clients to adopt recommendations, diverting their attention from prospecting and serving existing clients. The firm calculated that advisors spent an average of 10 hours per new client simply trying to get plan buy-in.
- Lack of Personalization: The traditional intake process focused heavily on collecting factual data like income, assets, and expenses, often neglecting to delve into clients' underlying values, priorities, and aspirations. This resulted in financial plans that felt generic and lacked a personal connection. For instance, a client saving diligently for retirement might also have a passion for travel that was completely overlooked in their initial financial assessment, rendering the retirement plan feeling uninspired.
Santos understood that a more engaging and personalized approach was needed to bridge the gap between financial planning expertise and client action.
The Approach
Golden Door Asset collaborated closely with Santos Financial Research Group to design and implement a comprehensive solution that shifted the focus from traditional data gathering to understanding client goals, values, and aspirations. The approach consisted of the following key steps:
- Redefined Intake Questionnaire: A new, goals-based questionnaire was developed to replace the firm's existing data-centric form. The new questionnaire incorporated open-ended questions designed to elicit information about clients' life goals, values, priorities, and concerns. Example questions included:
- "What are your most important values in life?"
- "What do you hope to achieve with your wealth?"
- "What are your biggest financial fears or anxieties?"
- "How would you like to spend your time in retirement?"
- "What legacy do you want to leave for future generations?"
- Client Portal Enhancement: The firm's existing client portal was enhanced to include a dedicated section for clients to articulate and prioritize their financial goals. This section included interactive tools that allowed clients to visualize the potential impact of achieving different goals on their financial well-being. For example, a client saving for a child's college education could use the tool to estimate the required savings based on different college choices and projected tuition costs.
- Advisor Training: Golden Door Asset conducted training sessions for Santos' advisors on how to effectively use the new questionnaire and client portal to gather client information and engage in meaningful conversations about their goals. The training emphasized the importance of active listening, empathy, and tailoring financial recommendations to clients' individual circumstances.
- Goal-Aligned Financial Planning: Financial plans were redesigned to explicitly link each recommendation to one or more of the client's stated goals. This ensured that clients understood how each element of the plan contributed to achieving their aspirations. For example, if a client's goal was to retire early and travel extensively, the financial plan would outline specific investment strategies, savings targets, and withdrawal rates designed to support that goal.
- Regular Goal Review: The firm implemented a process for regularly reviewing clients' goals and financial plans to ensure they remained aligned with their evolving needs and priorities. These reviews were conducted at least annually and more frequently as needed.
The strategic thinking behind this approach was to create a virtuous cycle of engagement, personalization, and adoption. By focusing on client goals and values, Santos aimed to create financial plans that were not only technically sound but also emotionally resonant, leading to increased client engagement and higher adoption rates. The decision framework emphasized qualitative data (client aspirations) alongside quantitative data (financial information) to create a more holistic understanding of each client's unique situation.
Technical Implementation
The technical implementation involved integrating Golden Door Asset's AI-powered tools with Santos Financial Research Group's existing CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and financial planning software.
- Questionnaire Integration: The redesigned goals-based questionnaire was digitized and integrated into the client portal. Clients could complete the questionnaire online at their convenience, and the responses were automatically uploaded to their client profile in the CRM system. This eliminated manual data entry and ensured that advisors had access to the information they needed before meeting with clients. The questionnaire also calculated a "Goal Alignment Score" based on the client's responses, providing advisors with a quick assessment of the client's commitment to their stated goals.
- Client Portal Development: The client portal was enhanced with a user-friendly interface that allowed clients to easily input and prioritize their financial goals. The portal included interactive tools that allowed clients to visualize the potential impact of different financial decisions on their ability to achieve their goals. For example, a client could use the tool to estimate the impact of increasing their monthly savings contribution on their retirement income. The portal also incorporated a Monte Carlo simulation engine to project the probability of achieving different financial goals under various market scenarios. This simulation considered factors such as inflation, investment returns, and longevity risk.
- API Integration: Golden Door Asset's AI engine was integrated with Santos' financial planning software via API (Application Programming Interface). This allowed advisors to seamlessly incorporate client goals and values into the financial planning process. The AI engine automatically generated personalized investment recommendations, savings strategies, and insurance solutions based on the client's individual goals and risk tolerance.
- Data Security: All data transmitted between the client portal, CRM system, and financial planning software was encrypted using AES-256 encryption to ensure the security and confidentiality of client information. Santos also implemented multi-factor authentication for all user accounts to prevent unauthorized access.
- Reporting Dashboard: A reporting dashboard was created to track key metrics such as financial plan adoption rates, client engagement levels, and advisor productivity. This dashboard allowed Santos management to monitor the effectiveness of the new intake process and identify areas for improvement.
The implementation also involved the use of stochastic modeling to project the likelihood of clients reaching their goals. Scenarios were built to project outcomes accounting for market volatility using a 95% confidence interval. This allowed for clear communication with clients around the certainty of outcomes and allowed advisors to better coach clients.
Results & ROI
The redesigned goals-based intake process yielded significant improvements in client engagement and financial plan adoption at Santos Financial Research Group:
- Financial Plan Adoption Rate: The adoption rate of comprehensive financial plans increased from 40% to 64% within the first year of implementation, representing a 60% increase.
- Client Engagement: Client engagement levels, as measured by portal logins, frequency of communication with advisors, and attendance at educational events, increased by 35%.
- Assets Under Management: Assets under management grew by 12% year-over-year, compared to a 7% increase in the previous year. This growth was attributed to increased client retention and referrals.
- Advisor Productivity: Advisors reported a 20% reduction in the time spent on explaining plan details and addressing client concerns. This freed up their time to focus on prospecting and serving existing clients.
- Client Satisfaction: Client satisfaction scores, as measured by an annual survey, increased by 15%, with clients specifically citing the personalized nature of the financial planning process and the clear alignment with their goals as key drivers of satisfaction.
- Revenue Impact: The increase in financial plan adoption and client engagement resulted in an estimated $500,000 increase in annual revenue for Santos Financial Research Group. This was driven by increased assets under management, higher advisory fees, and cross-selling opportunities. The initial investment of $50,000 in the new system and training was paid back in under 3 months.
The quantifiable ROI of implementing the goals-based intake process was significant. The 60% increase in financial plan adoption directly correlated to increased assets under management and revenue, while improved client satisfaction reduced attrition risk and enhanced the firm's reputation. The investment in the technology and training was a worthwhile expense with an estimated ROI of 900% based on the annualized revenue increase, demonstrating the tangible benefits of a client-centered approach to financial planning.
Key Takeaways
The success of Santos Financial Research Group's experience offers valuable insights for other RIAs and wealth managers:
- Prioritize Client Goals: Focus on understanding clients' aspirations and values, not just collecting data.
- Personalize the Experience: Tailor financial plans to individual client circumstances and explicitly link recommendations to their goals.
- Leverage Technology: Use technology to streamline the intake process, enhance client engagement, and automate personalized recommendations.
- Provide Advisor Training: Equip advisors with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively gather client information and engage in meaningful conversations.
- Regularly Review Goals: Conduct regular reviews of clients' goals and financial plans to ensure they remain aligned with their evolving needs and priorities.
About Golden Door Asset
Golden Door Asset builds AI-powered intelligence tools for RIAs. Our platform helps advisors deepen client relationships and increase assets under management by understanding and aligning financial plans with individual goals. Visit our tools to see how we can help your practice.