COVID-19 has been an accelerator for our business regarding adaptation, initiative and creativity.
During the shortage of masks, we were able to acquire a large supply of cloth face coverings. We made these available to our employees for their use and for passing on to clients and family. We also gave a supply of them to local churches. We are currently handing out personal-sized hand sanitizers with company logo to any client who visits our office.
Helping Clients
Like many of you in the NTSA, we were providing client education to answer some common questions. We have been helping fearful clients avoid self-destructive behavior in a volatile market.
While under a local mandate to shelter at home which limited commerce to essential businesses and severely restricted the physical movement within our community, we (like the rest of the country) temporarily hit the “pause” button for our lives. We refocused our business priorities towards serving our existing clients by reaching out via a telephone call.
Our online review video conferencing has been accepted as an option to serve our clients, while in-person meetings are still view as risky by some in our community. Our online reviews have been received favorably by our clients, because clients are more open to video conferencing; they are already using video conferencing to plan the school year and to manage their classrooms. At the personal level, video conferencing is already being used to communicate with family and among social groups, as well as for TeleHealth visits with physicians.
We are regularly training and developing our team to offer a well-managed video conferencing experience. We are training and practicing our proficiency with the platform and systematizing the preparation of materials to share during the appointment. And compliance and security measures are being placed into our protocol for our video conferencing appointments.
Reopening Schools and Campus Access
As we face the controversial issue surrounding the reopening of schools, we have offered a COVID Education Presentation for public schools. My wife is a private practice pediatrician of almost 40 years, an author, and makes frequent appearances on local radio shows and television broadcasts, as well as peer education meetings. Her COVID & Student Health presentation for staff training sessions brought awareness to educators by offering an opportunity to have their questions answered directly to supplement/clarify messaging received thru the media and memorandums. These presentations also offered an opportunity to share our COVID & Your Retirement Planning educational session.
We have taken the opportunity to increase our digital presence for our newer advisors. As campus access becomes increasingly difficult, frequency of our tried-and-true methods of offering on-site workshops and introductions through “walking campus” activities have significantly decreased. As we have discovered through our video conferencing, we are reaching more future clients who may not have attended our workshops or who would not have joined us for introductory meetings.
Teamwork
Our senior advisors are being assisted in increasing client services by working in teams. Our seasoned advisors have many clients and not enough time. Our newer advisors have lots of time and not enough clients. A team consists of a Senior Advisor, an Associate Advisor, and a member of the administrative support staff. Teams work together to serve and to guide our clients towards their financial goals. This is one of many steps in our succession planning to meet our stewardship responsibility to provide a sustainable business which will outlive our own career lifeline.
Opportunity
COVID-19 has been an accelerator for our business regarding adaptation, initiative and creativity. This crisis has given us an opportunity to revisit our assumptions and habits, and reprioritize to become stronger. Are you frozen in place because the earth just shifted beneath your feet, or will you take on the opportunity to grow your business to serve your community from generation to generation?
Live on, NTSA!
Martin Arinaga is Senior Vice President of Chinen and Arinaga Financial Group, Inc. He was a 2016 Elite Advisor.
Editor’s Note: This piece is part of the Business Insights Series in which NTSA Elite Advisors offer ideas and insights intended to offer members support and provide information concerning business opportunities.
Opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of NTSA or its members.
About the Elite Advisor Award
The NTSA Elite Advisor Awards focus on NTSA financial advisors' innovative, unique, profound and successful best practices for advocacy, leadership, practice management and legacy. More information about the Elite Advisor Awards is available here.
WOWcasts Available
In Segment I, NTSA Past President Randy Aranowitz interviews 2016 Elite Advisor Martin Arinaga was featured in the 19th Series of the NTSA WOWcasts. Segment I is available here; Segment II here; and Segment III here.
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