Advisers should avoid a ‘one-size fits all’ approach when communicating with clients, according to Rose St Louis, protection director at Scottish Widows.
St Louis spoke to Health & Protection following the release of findings from the insurer’s survey of 200 IFAs which showed older clients tendended to prefer face-to-face meetings.
The data showed eight in 10 IFAs reported that their clients aged 50+ preferred to discuss protection needs in a face-to-face setting and only 17% were comfortable talking virtually or via telephone.
This compares with half (51%) of IFAs surveyed who said clients aged 18 to 35 years old preferred telephone or video calls.
But St Louis told Health & Protection that advisers needed to treat clients as individuals, adding that everyone was unique with different needs at various stages of their lives.
“So delivering a one-size fits all approach simply doesn’t work,” St Louis said.
“Providing tailored, client led services means that customers get the cover they and their family want and need – which in turn builds trust and long-lasting relationships.”
St Louis added there had been huge changes in the ways customers wanted to interact with advisers in the last 18 months.
“Advisers now have more tools at their disposal to meet with customers be that face-to-face, over the phone or video conferencing,” she continued.
“This brings opportunities such as having conversations with more family members and being able to meet more needs.
“Fundamentally, though, it is about finding a way to engage with clients that suits them then listening and understanding each and every customer’s needs both now and in the future,” she added.