First warning of threat to planning post IFP-CISI merger

Smart Financial's Steve Martin has voiced his disappointment at the first round of nationwide branch events planned following the merger, saying they are heavily focused on explaining products as opposed to planning. Martin, who had previously been an IFP branch chairman himself, has seen the schedules of six branch programmes and said he found no event ‘interesting'. The IFP had previously differentiated itself with its "quality regional events", he said, which were different to others as they taught the softer skills of client engagement rather than how to sell products. He warne...