Focus on client retention keeps Securitor planners on safe ground

Securitor advisers appear to be holding on to their clients during the current market dislocation, according to a recent survey conducted by the dealer group.

More than half of the 275 advisers recently surveyed by the group said they had added clients in the last 12 months. The group’s research found that the majority (83 per cent) of the advisers surveyed have lost fewer than five clients over the past 12 months while more than half (54 per cent) have acquired 10 or fewer clients over the period.

The March 2009 survey findings were announced by BT Financial Group general manager of advice and private banking Geoff Lloyd at the Securitor conference in Darwin.

Nearly 30 per cent of advisers were found to be currently focused entirely on client retention and conducting no new business activities.

Managed funds were found to represent 70 per cent of advisers’ total revenue, but this was expected to fall to 60 per cent within two years, Lloyd said.

Risk as a proportion of revenue is expected to rise by 5 per cent over the next two years, up from 16 per cent currently.

Nearly 80 per cent of Securitor advisers who took part in the survey conducted by the group said their clients listened to their advice yet 40 per cent of clients said they would switch super accounts without consulting an adviser.