In his presentation, “The 8 Best Practices Of High-Performing Advisors” at the May 2007 Advocis Durham Education Day (Ontario), Norm Trainor remarked that there has been a big shift in the industry; from advisors being sales-driven in the 70’s and 80’s, to being marketing-driven in the 90’s and to being customer service-driven in the new millennium.
The old sales paradigm will not work anymore, he said, as today’s savvy customers are more concerned with what happens after the sale than what happens before the sale. Customers are tired of the old self-centered sales approach.
With a client-centered approach, you’re more concerned about your customer than a sales bonus or commission. The bonus comes when you please your customers and they return time after time for your guidance, products and services. And so, advisors need to become more focused on adding value to the service they are providing to the customer.
If service, not sales, is your underlying motive, you will naturally be driven to grow, learn and improve, by investing in your ongoing professional and personal development.
This article was originally published in Curing The Unmet Needs Disease © Simon Reilly 2008
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