Progress, Not Returns, Driver of Client Satisfaction

According to a recent SEI Advisor Network Quick Poll, 50% of independent financial advisers said client satisfaction with regard to investment performance is most heavily influenced by progress against tangible life goals, not by how their portfolio is performing against the market or index benchmark.

“Clients want to understand how financial results impact their lives, not just their wallets,” said Steve Onofrio, Senior Managing Director, Sales and Support, SEI Advisor Network, in a news release. “Promising pure investment returns is no longer the key to client satisfaction – if two percent above benchmark returns still falls short of the ability to send a child to college, for example, that’s not going to satisfy any client.”

More than a quarter of respondents (28%) stated that absolute return was a driving factor in client satisfaction, while less than 10% cited performance against market benchmarks as a key driver.

The SEI Advisor Network Quick Poll was comprised of data from more than 100 independent financial advisers from around the world.

For more information, visit www.SEIAdvisorNetwork.com.