A proposition? Yes. We could choose to obscure or camouflage our ‘agenda’ behind ambiguous text and labels, but such would send the wrong message, we believe. So yes, Regency would like you to become a client. But only for the right purpose, and in an appropriate manner. After-all, durable relationships are built and mutually sustained through trust and satisfaction. Not gimmicks and theatrics, right? In this post-Covid ‘new normal’ World, Regency is adapting and innovating the manner by which it supports, interacts with, and welcomes clients. Indeed, just because we may be in different cities or countries should not prevent Regency from delivering value and benefit to you, right? Is this a Robo-Adviser? Certainly not! Robo-advisers use premeditated software code (algorithms) written with destinations already defined and decided in advance through the software design. This is not to say these cannot deliver simple outcomes related to buying decisions. They can. However, for complex discussions related to intangible aspirations, purposes and preferences; and how these can be applied to conflicting priorities; unexpected circumstance changes; and demands against financial resources; even ‘one-size-fits-many’ is unlikely to be durable. In short, the permutations and human rationale are too many for software to comprehend meaningfully. For Regency, its Advisors, and our clients; software is a tool of support. Not a tool for making decisions for us. Hence our reference to ‘digital’ and not ‘robo’; where we use digital interactions and knowledge links to aid the conversation and solutional deliberations as we interact with clients. This way, the critical components and debate remain human-to-human.

Yes, we do still deliver in-person discussions where these are practical. Indeed, many clients prefer this, since in-person discussions offer superior value from the personal interaction and a more conducive environment; compared to digital meetings. Our approach here is to welcome normal human interaction being applied with responsible stewardship through social distancing, masking, and sanitisation measures. That way, we limit our respective health risks while enhancing valuable outcomes for our clients. Often the in-person discussion venue will be held at your or our office, or a convenient public location already known to be operating high-standard SOP, that we have previously experienced.

Regency is subject directly to MDPR and indirectly to GDPR. While important, these represent only part of our data ethics and practices. Through the course of our electronic, digital and physical conversations, the personal information you share with us will be stored in our secure server and on paper too. Yes, we still use paper (mostly for notes)! During our ‘conversations’ we will be asking for you to share and discuss certain information about your circumstances, financial experiences, aspirations and objectives. Some of these questions will be short digital questionnaires whereas most will be verbal so our questions and your answers can be explored individually. This ‘mixed’ approach helps reduce potential confusion on both sides while empowering value and meaning to be added progressively as an enduring foundation. Throughout, you have the option to opt-in and opt-out for answers. Information shielding is a natural human trait, especially in this day and age. However, you should also recognise that such shielding can be counter-productive too, especially when it comes to financial matters. Such omissions increase misunderstanding and mis-diagnose risks. And ultimately, you might end up with solutions that are less ‘fitting’, flexible and durable than might otherwise have been the case. Such are the dilemmas we each face every day, these days.

At Regency, we do not blindly subscribe to the ethos of ‘best advice’, since such a descriptive is by definition quite vague and nebulous. Indeed, ask 10 people what this means, and you get 10 different interpretations! But, ask those same 10 people if a product or solution fitted their purpose, need and wallet, you are likely to hear a consensus of answers. The concept of ‘best advice’ is simply too subjective in its adoption, application and measurement that it is rarely practical in the real World we live inside. Perhaps this may on the surface seem too simplistic. But is it really? All Solutions you purchase or solutions you adopt will have a purpose in mind at the outset, right? If it doesn’t or cannot fulfil that function, then was it fit-for-purpose in the first place? Yes, it might be argued that this product or solution was ‘best advice’ at the time, but this argument is unlikely to hold much water if it failed the ‘purpose’ test, right? Yes, sharing your personal information and preferences can be inconvenient and troubling. We would argue from experience that the consequences for discovering a solution was not durable or fit for purpose far outweigh the risks you face when working with Regency.

We work for our clients. Not the banks. Not the insurance companies. And not the investment management firms. It is our clients that directly and indirectly pay our bills, and not those institutions. That logic seems simple. Ironically, many advisers and firms have forgotten this reality, or too often ignore it altogether. This reality is the cornerstone for Regency, and has been so for many decades for its Directors. We survive and prosper by delivering competency and value to each client every year. Else why would you remain a client? Are we different? We think so. And our clients think so too! Yes, an easy boast to make but hard to deliver and sustain. While other firms and advisers do take into account your needs and objectives, we believe that your solutions need to be so much more dynamic... because they need to also take into account your tangible and intangible preferences too. For our clients, it's not just the ‘what' and the ‘when'... it's also the "how", the “why” …and the "way" in which our service fulfils your personal expectations and aspirations. How else can your solutions be flexible and durable enough to stand the test of time?