Back in January, we conducted a survey to find out what you thought about our financial planning service in more detail. We really appreciate the time everyone took to complete a questionnaire as we are always keen to know what you like, what you don’t and what can be improved. We always say the best way we can improve is by listening to our clients so your views are highly valued.   

So what did you have to say?

In response to the statement, ‘My planner really understands my financial priorities’ we were delighted to learn that 56% of you ‘strongly agreed’ and 44% ‘agreed.’

These scores were identical for, ‘My planner listens and seeks to understand my financial needs and goals,’ which was really rewarding for us as is what is at the heart of our whole financial planning philosophy. The best way for us to make your money work for you is by taking the time to identify your objectives first and then put in place a detailed plan to help you achieve them.

In the section regarding risk, we were also very encouraged that 96% of you either ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ with the statement, ‘ I understand my attitude to risk and the effect it may have on me achieving my financial goals.’  Again, it is in line with our approach as responsible financial planners to carry out individual risk profiles and adjust them over time.

We were also delighted to get a combined score of 94% for ‘strongly agree’ and ‘agree’ for ‘I am confident my planner knows what he is talking about,’ as we pride ourselves on having up to date knowledge of all the products available so as to be able to suggest the best options for you.   

We are always keen to make our charges and costs easily understandable, fair and transparent. We value the feedback given in this area, achieving a combined score of 96% ‘strongly agree’ and ‘agree’ is a positive sign that we are providing clarity in this area. However, we feel that it may be worth reaffirming what our charges are and what you receive for that charge.  

Our typical ongoing charges are currently 1% per annum and this allows us to deliver to you Proposito’s LifePath: Refine service. If we need to implement any new products required as part of this service, we charge a set fee from our menu of charges (detailed in our client agreement).  These charges are disclosed each year but we realise there is a need to continually look at ways that we can improve this.

We are currently developing two articles that will introduce increased clarity and outline the value we add. The first piece explains the difference between financial advice (traditional IFA services) and financial planning (what we do at Proposito) and how it benefits you.  The second article will look at all the work we complete throughout the year on your behalf. You’ll be aware of some if – particularly around our annual meeting. But there is also a lot more that we do throughout the year that you probably haven’t ever considered.

The review process is fundamental to the way we work as it allows us to fine tune your plan in line with fluctuating markets and your objectives as they change and develop over time, so it was heartening to see that 84% of you either ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ with the statement, ‘My planner reviews my financial plan regularly to ensure it remains appropriate and on target to meet my financial goals.’

We were absolutely delighted that a fantastic 88% of you either ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ with the overall service you receive from Proposito, with comments like, ‘you have a lovely group of staff there, always so obliging, helpful and knowledgeable,’ and ‘friendly and efficient.’  We are also particularly pleased that a resounding 100% of you said you would refer us to a friend.

All your feedback will be extremely helpful in improving our services so as to be in line with your specific requirements. As a thank you for participating in the survey, we have sent £2 for each response to our chosen charity, the local hospice, Helen &  Douglas House or to your own nominated charities. We were pleased to be able to also support, Prostate Cancer, The British Heart Foundation, Tenovus Cancer Care and Kidney Research.

Thank you