AstuteWheel is challenging the boundaries of Australian financial advice, exporting its flagship client engagement platform to South Africa and becoming a member of Stone and Chalk, the independent not-for-profit Fintech hub located in Sydney.
Building on its momentum in the Australian financial services market, AstuteWheel ran a Pilot Program with 20 financial advice practices in South Africa, which received very positive feedback.
“The system was launched to the South African market earlier this month during a roadshow that visited Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria,” said AstuteWheel’s Hans Egger. “Initial signs are very encouraging with a number of advisers subscribing to the software following the demonstration.”
Mr Egger said the South African financial advice market is facing the same kind of regulatory change that the Australian market faced over the past few years. “It is a sophisticated financial advice market looking to grow, and our solution really fills a gap for many of these practices which are already providing good advice, but need a more efficient and better client engagement process to demonstrate to clients the value of their advice.”
AstuteWheel is a client engagement platform that helps financial planning practitioners have better conversations with their clients and to demonstrate the clear value they are delivering. It directly impacts the profitability of a planner and their practice, keeping clients satisfied and engaged and making a more robust and sustainable business model.
And the business methodology is simple – provide a structured, logical and rewarding financial planning journey for clients to better understand, enjoy and value.
Donavan Maree recently started a new financial planning company in South Africa and says that Advice Wheel has essentially provided him with a ‘business within a box’.
“From their financial engagement process through to their marketing material, most of the hard work has already been done for me. By far the best aspect of using their software to date is the ‘5 Minute Financial Health Check’ as well as the ‘About You Questionnaire’. I have been getting my existing clients to complete these and the results have been amazing.
The dynamic between myself and my clients has changed because I can immediately see where they need help, and my job is to show them what strategies are available and then implement the ones that they are comfortable with. The Financial Health Report quantifies the value I add to my clients, which they see for themselves.”
With over 500 Australian financial advisers currently using the AstuteWheel’s platform, the business is in good shape to expand, innovate and create which is the reason behind the decision to become a member of Stone and Chalk, the independent not-for-profit Fintech hub located in Sydney.
“We are really excited about the position our business is in and the opportunities we have in front of us,” Mr Egger said. “However this year is about not only moving beyond national boundaries but also challenging – as we see it – the pre-conceived boundaries in financial advice.”
Mr Egger said these tools allow financial planners to explain strategies and concepts in a visual and easy to understand way, empowering the client to make an informed decision about which strategy is best for them to achieve their objectives.
