Are DB transfers fundamentally changing how clients find advisers?

Client referrals down 45%

Hannah Godfrey
clock • 3 min read

There is mounting evidence to suggest the flood of defined benefit (DB) transfer requests is changing the way potential clients are finding and connecting with financial advisers, writes Hannah Godfrey

One of the first hints of a changing wind in client procurement came from Prudential's 2017 Adviser Barometer report, which pointed to some surprising changes between in the previous 12 months on where potential clients find financial advisers. In 2016 the report found two-thirds (68%) of new clients were referred to advisers from existing clients. In 2017, however, this figure had almost halved, dropping to just over one-third (37%). The Pru's report suggested the reason for this was that clients were coming to advisers through walk-ins and events organised by advisers to present pla...

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