What is good service?

Service is one of the most important issues for any financial planner. We have dedicated this edition of Blue Chip to client service and aptly have called it,  “The Service Issue”.

All clients want good service, but what exactly is “good service”? Everyone seems to know what bad service is, but the counter is very illusive. It becomes even more complicated if we begin investigating how we can deliver the right kind of service to the right kind of people in the right manner. And further to this, it has to be done profitably.

Read more: Editor's Note

In our previous issue of Blue Chip, we were still very much in the throes of a severe global financial crisis. No one can deny the severity of the crisis. The mere fact that it was compared with the Great Depression indicates this very clearly. However, it will appear – and I hope I am right – that the crisis is coming to an end.

Read more: Crisis coming to an end

Sun over Africa

While the world is under the dark cloud of recession in most of its major economies, not all reports from Africa reflect doom and gloom.

Read more: Editors Note - April 2009

Doctors, lawyers, accountants and engineers do not have any difficulties being recognised as professionals, both by their peers and their clients. The recognition of being a professional does not automatically extend to the area of wealth management and financial advice. Arguably, the treatment of the very rich by financial advisers most often has been of a professional nature, but for much of the general public, their experience of wealth management or financial advice has been limited to the often grudge purchase of an insurance product, with a generous commission payment the bitter pill to swallow.

Read more: Editor's note - Sep 2008