If it's true that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, financial advisors should give at least as much thought to their receptionists' conduct and the reception area as to retirement income or portfolio rebalancing.
That is the subject of a recent post by Average Joe, a blogger and former financial advisor who describes himself as "a guy who's been in hundreds of advisory offices."
Perhaps because the blog post is directed to consumers seeking financial advice (as opposed to financial professionals), the article and the 55 reader comments it generated provide valuable insights for working financial advisors.
One reader comment in particular encapsulated the subject's importance:
"It made a huge impression on us when we walked into a financial advisor's office and the receptionist remembered our name and greeted us warmly. She didn't have to search in a schedule book to figure out what time our meeting was or who we were there to see. She escorted us to the meeting room, chatted on the way, offered us drinks…really made us feel welcome. She was prepared in advance to relax us. She was a perfect host. After four prior meetings at other firms that didn't go so well, this advisor earned our business. And it all started up front with her."
A key premise of the post is that clients and prospects particularly are nervous when they walk into a financial advisor's office.
Says Average Joe: "Every good advisor knows that new and existing clients might come in with concerns and a case of 'nerves.' While we had plenty of routine reviews with clients when I was practicing, there were times that people came in after a loved one died, when kids were headed to college, their company had made a retirement offer, our client had been fired, or a new baby was on the way."
The receptionist, and reception area, are therefore critical to dissipating this tension.
"A great receptionist is the eyes and ears of a great advisor. My receptionist would let me know if someone seemed especially anxious, so I was armed and ready when the client arrived at the meeting room," Average Joe writes.
Aside from the receptionist, the entry area makes a crucial impression.
"Everything is a hint about how the advisor values you, your money and their own business," writes Average Joe, who recommends soothing music and lifestyle magazines over CNBC and financial magazines. "Who the hell wants to watch the market tank and people screaming on the trading floor before they meet with their advisor?"
The former advisor also strongly advises against politically oriented television.
