Though Mariner Wealth Advisors has grown from having lower than 200 advisors to 600 in simply over three years, expertise acquisition stays a serious problem, based on Marty Bicknell, Mariner Wealth Advisors CEO and president.
The agency is, nevertheless, making progress after realizing that its finest referral sources for good expertise have been proper beneath its roof, amongst its personal advisors and associates, he stated.
Different challenges stay, Bicknell famous. For one factor, Mariner Wealth’s Advisors’ primary problem is “implementing all of the sources in a cohesive and structured manner” after becoming a member of the agency, he stated.
In the meantime, the agency stays lively in mergers and acquisitions. For instance, Mariner stated it acquired Hopkins Tameron Hostal final month within the newest signal that advisory corporations are more and more wanting so as to add or enhance the tax providers they provide.
The HTH acquisition and integration of its providers “enhances Mariner Wealth Advisors’ mission of offering purchasers with 360-degree wealth recommendation, and emphasizes the agency’s dedication to providing a full catalog of options in-house,” the RIA stated in a information launch.
Bicknell, with seven others, based Mariner Wealth in 2006 with a purpose of “holding the consumer on the middle of all we do,” based on the agency’s web site. He wished to construct an organization that might simplify its purchasers’ lives by having all of the sources they wanted beneath one roof.
By way of e-mail, we requested Bicknell a couple of questions on what advisors ought to be doing immediately that they aren’t, what business development or aggressive situation is most affecting his agency and its advisors, and extra.
THINKADVISOR: What are advisors at your agency not doing immediately that they need to be doing (and need to do) for purchasers?
MARTY BICKNELL: At our primary enterprise unit, we have now grown from having [fewer] than 200 advisors to 600 in just a little over three years. Throughout that point, we have now constructed a major variety of instruments and sources for our advisors to raise their worth proposition and the consumer expertise.
Our advisors’ primary problem is implementing all of the sources in a cohesive and structured manner upon becoming a member of the agency. It takes time to be taught the very best practices and for them to adapt the expertise to how they’re accustomed to working with purchasers.
What business development/aggressive situation is most affecting your advisors, your group and also you?
Expertise acquisition.
How is your agency addressing that situation?
We haven’t solved it. That’s for certain. We’re making progress although. We found that our personal associates and advisors may be our greatest referral sources relating to expertise. They’re related to many within the business, they usually have a good suggestion of who can be a super match for our tradition. As an alternative of assuming they may make the referrals, we’ve began asking them to take action.
What do you suppose investor purchasers are most involved about immediately relating to working with you, your agency and advisors? And the way are you all addressing this concern?
Shoppers need time and a focus from their advisor. It’s not a brand new concern. We’re working very laborious to implement methods and processes that give time again to advisors to allow them to spend extra time interacting with purchasers. This might be a unending battle, and at all times on the forefront of us placing purchasers first.