Why IFAs should dare to outsource their Investment Management

Just recently, there’s been a spate of articles in the financial trade press highlighting the perceived challenges involved when advisers weigh up whether or not to outsource the investment process to a discretionary investment management service.

The key concerns seem to be:

  1. Struggling to prove their worth to clients
  2. Losing control of investments or the value chain
  3. Justifying the cost of outsourcing
  4. Fear of losing their clients to a third-party investment manager

Confidence and courage

Our experience of partnering with new advisers shows that all of these worries are unnecessary, but it does require the adviser to have two key qualities: confidence and courage. 

Confidence in their ability to provide their clients with a service that is more than simply managing their investments on a day-to-day basis and the courage of their convictions that they offer real long-term value to their clients, helping them to plan their financial futures to meet their individual needs.

Increased productivity and profitability

We have numerous case studies highlighting how, after partnering with us, advisers have seen an increase in productivity and profitability. They tell us the fees involved in having an expert investment partner are not an issue for their clients because they see first-hand the value that their relationship with their adviser is giving them, often price perception versus the reality are very different. 

Services such as Lifetime Cash Flow Forecasting and CGT Allowance Harvesting are integral to our investment propositionare included in the standard feeand keep the adviser directly involved in the client relationship. PortfolioMetrix operates in the background.

We provide our partners with compliant, properly correlated/mapped risk profiling solutions and ensure they understand the methodology sitting behind the process.

No exit penalties

Importantly – particularly for those advisers who feel they need to take a deep breath before signing up – there’s no cost involved in breaking the partnership.  

Our portfolios are held on third party platforms and it’s easy to uncouple and place with new CIP or alternative provider. We offer this because we are confident in our proposition and have the courage not to build in penalties to make advisers stay if they really want to go.