How are you all? No, really how are you?
I have to admit that during the various lockdowns we have had I have not learned how to bake, or written a book or kept rigidly to any exercise regime. If the truth is known, I’m a bit fed up with lockdown and see a little light at the end of the tunnel as a great thing. Vaccinations appear to be progressing apace and one day soon…maybe, just maybe…
Over the last 12 months, one thing I have done is to reflect hard about how TWP should do business and be seen to do business. I think we, like lots of other companies, got ourselves wrapped up in some projects we didn’t truly understand. I have used the intervening time to take stock and take a close look at our ‘why’.
Every business in every sector has its own unique language that is sometimes unwittingly inflicted on their customers with little thought; we at TWP are no different. This is a very real conversation you could have with us…
‘So, we take your ATR report and we twin it with your CFL assessment and we build a CFP. We will mostly consider TIM but might look at SLL and perhaps RL, but it will always represent our CIP. In some cases, we will assess your IHT liability and if we feel it’s appropriate we will look at EIS or VCT solutions but invariably will err towards BPR. Our ASF will refect fully your CFF and we will use i4C or CC to draw out some conclusion. After all, we are regulated by the FCA and are members of the Cii so we like to make things easy for our clients to understand’.
Perhaps have your own examples from your career…I’d love to hear them.
I think it’s hilarious that we think we make sense and that clients can understand what on Earth we are talking about.
I have the same view of another thing that all businesses have – the dreaded Back Office System. Don’t get me wrong here, we all have our ‘magic’ and this is what differentiates us. But it is magic? No, of course, it is not. The magic is usually delivered by people, performing at the top of their game; that’s the real difference and done in a way where it’s engaging and authentic.
So, we decided to authentically and honestly build our systems around our clients – you. We have looked underneath every pebble on the beach and concluded that any technology, however good it is will only ever make us faster, not necessarily better. The quality and accuracy of our advice about your finances and your future is inherently a people and people process business; not the job of a computer. Yeah sure that computer can auto value stuff in a millionth of second and present it very well and this should not be decried but, technology is best when it is man, woman and machine working together.
To diminish the human touch is to take away the very essence of listening and hearing and debating.
As the old phrase goes, ASSUME make an ASS of U and ME.
Back to that back-office system, we have decided to change our back office system to a more client-friendly version. What does that mean? Not much, but we will be able to offer you faster valuations and greater access in simple terms to your assets and your investments. We will be able to give you access to your valuations more readily. Without promising the Earth, then not delivering I shall wait a few weeks to confirm the details but wanted you to know we’re thinking of you all of the time.
We want to make TWP a simple and predictable business to be a client of.
That sounds easy and if we keep it simple and predictable it is. This does not mean there’s any less focus on you. In fact, there will be more as a positive result of Lockdown. We want to have raging debates about the best and most suitable plan for you and how best to achieve your life objectives.
Sound like a plan?
All the best
Mark Shotton
Managing Director
Don’t Forget The Fish – January 2021