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Neil Menzies Of Arbutus Financial Is Leading The Way With Technology

Simon Reilly

This is an article that Neil Menzies of Arbutus Financial wrote for Manulife’s eDialogue monthly.

Flash forward to 2011 and Neil has a flourishing business at Arbutus Financial. “Over time, I gained momentum and my natural market of 25-year-olds matured into more senior roles in business – controllers, CEOs, CFOs – as we all grew older,” says Neil. “My little one-man operation has grown to a firm with two locations, in Vancouver and Nanaimo, and a talented ten-person team.”

Embracing technology, while challenging and expensive because it advances so quickly, is a key plank in Arbutus’s business growth. “Today, being progressive and light on our feet is essential,” says Neil, a self-described “gadget guy” who loves playing with new technology in his spare time.

Each advisor at the firm is equipped with a customized iPad for use in the planning process, which Neil says results in a consistent Arbutus Financial client experience and the iPads are simple to update.

Keeping things simple, standardized and easily repeated is essential. “Our goal is for clients to have a consistent white-glove experience, regardless of which team member they have contact with. Leveraging technology ensures we all have quick access to information, make detailed client-contact notes and truly know the people we serve.”

Arbutus’s standard tech platform also includes:

  • Paperless office, with document scanning, efiling, paperless fax
  • Interoffice messenger communication on each desktop
  • Standardized desktop for each team member, simplifying training and improving best practices
  • Secure remote access to office computer and filing system
  • Proprietary client database (CRM), with key information at fingertips, for quick response to client queries, including soft facts regarding client profile (example: mother has Alzheimer’s, do not take instructions)
  • Resource eLibrary – centralized with key resource materials to assist with communicating planning strategies
  • Use of Dropbox for document management and mobility
  • Robust telephone system with many options for customization, mobility etc.
  • Cordless headsets for all team members
  • Copytalk for dictation
  • eProcedure Manual, to ensure consistency of delivery, and understanding of standard operating procedures

Neil credits a mentor who taught him the potential for productivity improvement through technology integration. He took that advice and grew with it. “We are fortunate to have an excellent support staff with a culture of cooperation and collaboration. A standardized technology platform is essential in supporting our growth. By sharing best practices through technology, we all learn to work smarter, not harder.”

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