Tales From The Frontline – Frontline communication

Another ‘Tales From The Frontline’, this week Sheffield based Martin Parry talks about the challenges he’s faced working with his predominately NHS staff client base.

In any relationship, good communication is key, and during a pandemic, how much more so!

Our front line as Sandringham advisers, cannot be compared to the heroic efforts of NHS medical teams, care workers, and all who work in close proximity to COVID-19 patients.

No doubt, many who experienced serious symptoms and survived, will have a moving story to tell, not just about the medical expertise they experienced, but more likely, the compassionate way they were treated.  In other words, the human touch.

As advisers, we are the face of the company, the front line.  No heroics here, and yet since lockdown, challenges have presented themselves that few of us could have ever imagined.  How we handle it, will play a significant factor in how we are perceived by our clients, and possibly as a result, the likelihood of further business opportunities, and not least, client retention.

To that end, I created a template email that covered just in headline form, one or two things of possible interest to clients as a whole, along with an approved article attached to reassure investors in the current climate.  I also introduced Wealth Platform 2, although I was a bit premature with that one!

To be honest, the replies haven’t come thick and fast, but I know many of my clients will have had a glance, even though many haven’t replied, as yet!  The email template was a starting point, but I didn’t want to send something completely generic to every client, something that just looked like a mass- produced effort.  So, my emails were individually addressed, many of them were ‘fine-tuned’ to let them know that I was interested in what was important to them.  I knew for example, that one family were waiting on planning permission for building a house extension, once an invasion of bats could be sensitively handled!   So, I simply included a one liner about their project.  Naturally, every email expressed a genuine interest in the health of the client and their loved ones.

I asked myself, if the message is too generic, and therefore, not very personalised or sincere, would it be worth sending?  This exercise was spread over 3 days, but in the end, the vast majority of my clients would know that I was thinking about them.  As you might expect, I casually dropped in that I was continuing to work, but just a little differently now, the ‘new normal’.

Whilst for decades many of us have perhaps religiously driven for miles to deliver a ‘face to face’ review meeting, and very likely thought nothing of it, an excuse, or rather an ‘opportunity’ has suddenly arisen.  With a little practice, we can sit in front of our Laptop or iPad in the comfort of our own home and conduct a Zoom or Skype meeting.  No longer do I have to set off back from Cheshire at 9:00 pm and face the joys of the Snake Pass, as I weave my way back to the south end (and RED half) of Sheffield!!!   Now I can finish an evening meeting and pop downstairs to see if Jeremy Clarkson, or at least the ITV, will be ‘coughing up’ a million to another hopeful contestant.  A short cut to retirement maybe?   How I would love to invest it for them!

In the current climate, it’s good to know that the paraplanning team remain busy, and I have personally benefited with some valuable assistance in relation to a number of pension transfers during lockdown.  This assistance is both helpful and flexible, in that it can be very ‘hands on’, or a little less so for any advisers who like me register at the top end of the ‘control freak’ spectrum.

It has to be stated though, that whilst paraplanning are appreciated, the round of applause goes to the NHS medical teams and care workers every Thursday night!

Some of you may know that most of my clients are doctors, and as such, at least 4 of them have contracted COVID-19.  Thankfully, all have now recovered, albeit one of them was more seriously affected.  Needless to say, working from distance has an increasing appeal, and no doubt I will ‘educate’ the majority to work with me in this way.  Time will tell……

Very best wishes everyone, and do stay safe and well.

Martin

Martin Parry, Founding Partner