Delivering Massive Value

Over the break, I listened to an audiobook by a financial professional in the States, 'Delivering Massive Value' recorded by Matthew Jarvis. The book is a bit of a how-to for advisors on creating systems in your business to not only make things more efficient, but deliver a level of service to your clients that is simply unmatched. 

I had low expectations of the book, Matthew is someone whom I first came into contact with from his LinkedIn posts; he is a little bit chirpy, definitely confident (some might even say cocky), and always willing to pick a fight when it comes to the value of working with a planner. I was intrigued. 

However, the audiobook was fantastic - I found myself making excuses to go for a walk or drive somewhere by myself to get more time with the book in. It inspired me to sit down and go through the countless notes in my phone, compile client feedback, review old business plans, and do a goal setting exercise for both my personal life and business. 

This Business Matters

Client service is so important in this business; if we cannot make our clients' lives easier and more enjoyable, whilst administering sound financial strategic planning, we lose all effect. 

This needs to be easy for our clients, it needs to be enjoyable, too.

Here are three changes I am making this year to improve my client experience based on what I listened to in the book.

One Page Plan

My job is to provide clients with clear, actionable  advice that helps them achieve their financial goals.  It is NOT to explain to them in painstaking detail how they are going to do that.

What good is a financial plan if it doesn't inspire change? Why even do the exercise if the output is so confusing (or boring) that no one - myself included - goes back to revisit it?

For those reasons, I have created a one-page excel document 

A 30 minute meeting that covers:

• Ensuring your finances are still aligned with your goals
• Cashflow in, or out of your investment accounts
• Spending trends and upcoming events (new car, house, gift to grandkids, etc)
• Investment returns
• Tax management and any changes that need to be made
• Outstanding questions: a good chance to check-in.

After the meeting, I make all of the changes we discuss, pdf the document and send it to the clients.  We now have a very simple document to refer back to and use as a starting point for our next meeting.

On the backend, nothing has changed.  I will still be updating your financial plan after every meeting; but I won't be bothering you with the multiple pages of charts and spreadsheets anymore*. 

*happy to send the whole package to my more analytical friends out there. 😉 

Regular, Scheduled Meetings 

Jarvis refers to them as 'Surge Meetings'. He blocks out three week chunks in his schedule a couple of times a year with the objective of meeting every single client.  Instead of meeting people ad hoc throughout the year, he has his clients in a rhythm of meeting at certain times of the year.

My intention for 2025 and beyond is to meet my clients twice a year; once in late January through the end of February, and the six weeks starting on September 1st. 

At the start of the year, we are all concerned with tax planning, new goals, new ambitions, and getting a fresh start on the year. In the fall, especially those of us with kids going back to school, it is a good chance to reset and plan for the end of the year.

This does not mean that I will not be available to meet when needed; you have my time and attention.  I am - and will always be - around when you need me.  It just means that we are going to establish a regular and recurring routine on top of that. 

For too long I have tried to come up with the perfect meeting routine for each individual client, which has lead to a lack of consistency and less than fantastic results.  By creating systems around meeting, I believe that my clients will be better served, have more time with me, and our time spent together will be much more efficient. 

Quarterly Value Adds

Most of my time should be spent one-to-one with clients; more meetings more frequently and more connection. However, there are things that ALL clients require regardless of their age and stage in life.

Every quarter, my team will embark on a project that is important to our clients, but maybe not top of mind (and/or exciting!). It will be something that is important to ALL clients, but is not unique to them. 

Those projects include:

• auditing your beneficiaries: are they still applicable? do we have contingent beneficiaries listed?
• accounting professional on file: can we send your accountant your tax documents so you don't have to?
• do we know your trusted contact?
• family insurance plan: do we have your policies in one place? is there a summary of all of your policies? does your family know who to call if something happens to you?

I love this business, I love MY business - the only thing consistent is change.  I'm excited to serve my clients even better than I have, I am excited to 'Deliver Massive Value' as Jarvis would say. 

For those of you interested in the book or Jarvis' work, here is a link to his website.

NOTE: the (extremely creepy) blog image was created by AI when prompted simply with 'Delivering Massive Value'. Take a moment and zoom in, scroll around the photo - truly bizarre. It looks like we have a few years left before the computer overlords takeover...