I recently had a dialogue with a senior manager in a UK quoted company about what he saw as good service from his professional advisers.   It was a good reminder, and I'm happy to have us judged by this. 

I have shamelessly paraphrased his presentation below.  Happily I think we're doing ok by these criteria.

Advice

Clients

• Want clear advice and no fence sitting from advisers
• Hate self serving caveats, disclaimers and lack of clarity
• Want to be advised of risks and opportunities - for them not for their advisers
• Want advisers to be readily accessible, and beyond 5pm
• Want an easy life - put all your contact details on your email footer including direct lines
• If you use voicemail it should say more than just who you are leaving a message for

Value for Money 

Clients like:-

• Transparency - to understand what they're being billed for and why.  NO surprises.  They have to manage cost expectations internally too.

Clients hate:-

• Abuse of the fee process = loss of trust
• Being held to ransom over changes to the project scope

But the relationship needs to be commercial and win win - the adviser has  a business to run too.

The Relationship

• Clients like to feel important to the adviser
• They appreciate advisers investing time in their business
• They value regular contact with partners and working with personable staff
• Clients want to know that the relationship partner will try their utmost to resolve any problems in the relationship

The one thing I know we're not doing yet is voicemail.  We have recently acquired the technology, but I am aware of the need to record specific daily messages - once I have had a chance to read the instruction manual I will implement this!