Kivvik, a new website for enabling communication between advisers and clients that launches Monday, is looking to put a stop to advisers' calling and emailing haphazardly to get updates on clients' life-changing events.
With a few clicks of the mouse, advisers upload their client relationship management data onto the web-based platform and send out a periodic questionnaire to their clients asking about a variety of life events. It may include questions related to having a baby, planning a big trip or receiving an inheritance, as well as the expected costs and time frame of their retirement.
It is yet another indication of the growing trend of
adviser technology geared toward client engagement.
Kivvik's service is free during a 14-day trial and then costs $30 per month for an unlimited number of clients. If advisers are still not sure whether they want to sign up after the trial, then they can continue using the platform for free for a maximum of three clients. Kivvik has already integrated various CRM systems with its software, including Redtail, Salesforce and Wealthbox.
The goal for Kivvik's co-founders Emmanuel Kaska and Chike Nwankwo is simple: to keep advisers informed, reduce the need call clients blindly and prevent unpleasant surprises when clients tell their advisers they had a huge financial situation or event months after it happened.
"Very often clients will go months and months without talking to advisers," Mr. Kaska said.
"Some advisers have over 100 clients each, so it is really hard to keep track of all of these clients, theoretically," Mr. Nwankwo added.
It's not the first attempt at creating a business around this concept. Other platforms also try to keep advisers and their clients connected on a more frequent basis, such as PreciseFP, which lets clients
input their own data for advisers.
Hearsay Social also tries to keep advisers reaching out to current and new clients by boosting their online presence on social media.
Kate Holmes, a financial adviser with Belmore Financial in Las Vegas, said that Kivvik helps to keep advisers in the loop. She sits on the company's board.
"It's not always easy keeping up with what's going on in a client's life, and a lot of clients don't always think to tell advisers what's happening in their lives," Ms. Holmes said.
Having a way to give advisers a heads-up in advance of significant events not only can provide financial professionals with important insight into their clients, but also an opportunity to strengthen relationships with them. Clients may not realize how much their advisers can do for them to help them prepare for life-changing milestones.
"Bringing up all these different topics can remind clients how many things that go in their lives can affect their financial picture, and how advisers are there to help them with that," Ms. Holmes said.
