Informed by more than twenty years of work with advisers, plus the experience of being an investor in distribution businesses and holding directorships on financial advice business boards we can provide a valued independent perspective to financial advisers. Throughout this time we have provided independent valuation data to advisers through transaction surveys.

In addition, since 2019, in conjunction with Advicebridge Limited we have been involved in adviser client base transactions. That has brought us into the deal-making process adding further to our understanding of transaction issues and how value is created as adviser businesses gain scale.

The summaries that follow are focused on the areas where we have the greatest potential to add value to you, leveraging the breadth of sector information we get from our industry data services.

Adviser Business Valuation Service

We offer basic, complex and full-scale valuation services. Our valuation service follows a set procedure that works to assist clients with all aspects of valuing a business.  Using our database, we can complete the valuation service, provide a letter of advice and offer after-service support.

In cases where the adviser business generates substantial profit on new business, or from fees, or has revenue greater than $1m annually, we recommend involving the expertise of a Chartered Accountancy firm. We use Base accounting. Our process integrates our view with an accounting valuation approach. This is a great tool if you want to evidence value so that you can borrow, buy, sell, or offer staff incentives based on valuation.

Mergers, Acquisitions and Disposals

For more information about how we can assist with mergers, acquisitions, and disposals, please visit www.advicebridge.co.nz. We work with an independent third party licensed real estate agent for business transactions.

Industry Research and Training

Keep up to date with the changes across the sector with the most comprehensive review of product, price, promotion, people, strategy, and the legal and regulatory environment. All supported with quarterly training that allows your team time to ask questions and make better recommendations based on up to date intelligence.

SOA Creation and Review

In conjunction with Quality Product Research Limited we offer a great statement of advice creation tool: Advicemonster. This includes the most extensive template SOA and library of SOA content currently available in the market, to our knowledge. We work with external compliance consultants and with industry experts to bring you this powerful and flexible tool that fully integrates with the quote and research capabilities of Quality Product Research Limited.

Digital Advice Strategy

For advisers keen to invest in advice automation, we can extend to you the lessons of years of investment and research into the field. The challenge is not to merely digitize your current process, but to crush complexity so clients using small screens stay engaged long enough to seek your advice.

Website Review

Here at Chatswood, we work closely with advisers and along the way we have picked up a few common gaps in adviser websites. We thought we would share these findings so that you make your website more useful and valuable to your business.

Adviser Business Strategic Planning

Helping advisers to set strategy, and gain and maintain a competitive advantage by thinking clearly about who you wish to serve and how. Sensible and strategic, our planning process is focused on identifying the right next steps, whatever scale of organisation we are working with. An external view helps to challenge your assumptions and right-sizing strategy to match your capability. Common questions addressed include acquisition and disposal challenges, whether to offer digital advice, advice process development, and marketing strategy.

Advice Process Management

What does good advice look like to you? Each business has its own view of what good is. It is often a struggle, either to articulate that view, or to get agreement within the team so that there is an agreed standard that can be used to manage the business. We love those challenges. I help you discover, understand, and document your vision. The documentation of your vision leads to defining your advice process. It becomes your most reliable adviser team management tool.

Advice Benchmarking

An emerging service. Through the advice check service, we compare recommendations with both actual packages bought, standard models for advice, and common advice goals. It allows you to understand in aggregate how your advice business is performing against the market as a whole.

Annual Review Process

An emerging service. Enhancing annual reviews show that they show clients how their coverage compares to common goals and typical cover amounts purchased. It allows you to provide meaningful and engaging information in annual reviews without lots of manual work.

Compliance Implementation Planning

We maintain a detailed schedule of legal and regulatory change and stay across all aspects of implementation but with a particular focus on the implementation in intermediary-based distribution businesses, such as life insurers, general insurers, and fund managers. We maintain reference standards for many key product lines such as KiwiSaver, Life Insurance, and General Insurance.

Please fill in the form below if you are interested in any of the products above.
Alternatively, you can phone us on 09 480 9535 or email Russell (Russell.Hutchinson@chatswood.co.nz) or Melissa (Melissa.Waddel@chatswood.co.nz)