Adviser relationship skills crucial in current economic climate

Consumers have very real concerns about the state of the global economy and specifically, the effect it is having on their portfolios and the realisation of their goals and objectives. Now more than ever, they need good financial advice to avoid making costly decisions, although the state of the markets, the well-publicised demise of Storm Financial, and ongoing public denouncement of financial advisers by Industry funds all combine to undermine the trust that advisers have with their existing clients, and create a poor framework for which to build trust with a new client.

Interpersonal communication skills and client relationship management are vital attributes of any good adviser, although there are very few training programs designed specifically for financial planners to develop and improve their skills in these areas. Sue Viskovic, Managing Director from Elixir Consulting will be presenting on these very issues at the upcoming Kaplan Professional Financial Adviser Roadshows.

“Advisers who have an ability to connect with their new and existing clients on more than just a superficial level – indeed, those who can create and develop real relationships based on trust, gain much greater mutual satisfaction from their client relationships. Their clients feel more secure with their financial affairs and advisers find they are able to deliver better quality advice because they are privy to a better knowledge of their client and they understand ALL of the issues they face. This of course leads to longer, often inter-generational relationships with their clients, and ultimately a better financial outcome for their clients”, says Sue.

“There are some very specific skills and techniques that are required by advisers to communicate what are often complex, and particularly in the current environment, disconcerting issues with their clients. This workshop will give advisers some skills and techniques that they can take back to their office and put into practice immediately.”

Sue’s presentation entitled “An effective and client-focused approach to sales, communication and relationship skills” is one of the sessions in the agenda for the Financial Adviser Roadshow appearing in Brisbane on the 16th and 17th of February and Melbourne on the 24th and 25th February.

Register at www.kaplanprofessional.edu.au/FAR or call 02 9080 4080 for more information.

Effective dust management requires ‘proactive’ approach

Although real time monitoring networks are essential to ongoing dust management, they are still a reactive management tool, says Jon Harper, Senior Atmospheric Scientist with Sinclair Knight Merz.

“To adequately reduce dust emissions a facility should strive to be proactive,” Mr Harper told delegates at the recent Dust & Noise Management in Mining conference in Perth.

“One of the more effective proactive methodologies is to use meteorological forecasts combined with an atmospheric dispersion model and planned operating data,” he said.

“Using this information it is possible to determine the potential impacts on the surrounding region, including any sensitive receptors, up to two days in advance.

“A facility can then either adjust their operational plans or implement dust reduction strategies to reduce the predicted impact.”

Mr Harper said dust emissions from mining, material processing and ship loading operations are an environmental issue of increasing concern to government regulators and the community.

These could be generated from wind – when wind speed exceeded a threshold velocity –

or from mechanical processes that generate and potentially release particulate matter. These processes include material movement (such as grinding operations, dropping at conveyor transfer points, stacking, reclaiming and ship loading), blasting and vehicular movement over unsealed or dust laden surfaces.

Dust monitoring programs historically focused on ambient dust concentrations using a range of methodologies including high volume air samplers (HVAS), tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and beta attenuation monitors (BAM).

While all three can provide valuable information to a facility, the main drawback is that due to the requirement of 240v power they are normally located at, or adjacent to, a sensitive receptor (town, homestead), he said.

“This complicates the process of using these monitors as part of a dust management strategy as by the time an issue with dust is realized it is often too late to adequately rectify the situation.”

Mr Harper said a monitoring method gaining increasing usage is to establish a series of monitors that use a light scattering technique, such as the MenOne E-Sampler, around a facility.

“As these monitors can be operated off 12v power it is possible to locate them in isolated locations and use solar power to charge a deep cycle battery.”

The dust concentrations and meteorological parameters recorded by the monitors are relayed to a computer for processing. If the concentrations could result in adverse impacts, then the computer will initiate a series of warnings including text messages or emails to mine management or specifically designed sirens.

However, Mr Harper said it was still a reactive method requiring the prompt attention of personnel to initiate the chosen controls and reduction strategies initiated may be a little too late.

“It would be preferable to know in advance if the expected meteorological conditions are conducive to a facility having an issue at a receptor.

“Previously facilities have relied solely on generalized weather forecasts that are applicable to a large area (such as the south west of Western Australia) and may not capture specific localized meteorological events such as katabatic winds and the timing of sea breezes.

“With advances in our understanding of meteorological parameters, the development of reliable forecasting software and the increasingly powerful personal computers it is now possible to obtain accurate meteorological forecasts for specific locations.

“To use the forecasting to its full potential the meteorological data should be coupled to an atmospheric dispersion model and planned operating data to increase the understanding of the potential impacts

“This type of forecasting requires a comprehensive understanding of the emission characteristics from all sources within a facility such as car dumpers, conveyors, transfer stations, crushing/screening, stacking/reclaiming, ship loading, windblown dust from exposed areas and stockpiles, and wheel generated dust from roadways.

“This type of advance dispersion forecast allows a facility to examine potential impact on the surrounding region, including any sensitive receptors, and either adjust operations or implement dust reduction strategies to reduce the predicted impact.”

Financial advisers to benefit from new conference format

The Kaplan Professional Series of conferences for financial advisers and accountants have been overhauled to make them more relevant and practical.

A major change is more time allocated to speaker presentations and workshops for more thorough treatment of topics.

There will also be more emphasis on hands-on learning sessions such as workshops, panel discussions and case studies.

And anything remotely resembling a sales pitch will be outlawed.

The conferences will commence with a workshop at Sydney’s Harbour’s Edge Events Centre on 19-20 August. Money Management will be the official publication.

Michael Fitzpatrick, one of the key Kaplan Professional speakers said: “I’m excited about the new format.

“Having attended and given countless seminars over the years I’ve often felt frustrated by having to fit in a 40-minute time slot.

“For a lot of the areas and issues, you just can’t get into the meat of a subject in less than an hour and a half.

“It’s important to do justice to important issues, to give time where it really is deserved, especially when you’ve got a good speaker.”

There will be national conferences on self managed superannuation funds (SMSFs), Tax Planning Strategies and Advising on Risk and Insurance.

There will also be the Kaplan Professional Financial Adviser’s Roadshow, workshops that will address estate planning and pre- and post-retirement planning.

The aim is to hold them in various states for the convenience of financial planners. The first, at Sydney’s Harbour’s Edge Events Centre on 19-20 August, is to be chaired by Mike Taylor, the Managing Editor of Money Management.

Mr Fitzpatrick said: “The workshop on death and taxes will be an exciting opportunity for financial advisers or those responsible for providing financial advice to the modern family.

“It will enable them to come to grips with the way in which modern death duties, and back door taxes like capital gains tax, can intrude significantly into the wealth of widows and children of deceased clients.

“The workshop will allow a close hands-on approach to how to identify these taxes, how they may apply in individual cases, and what strategies are available to the adviser to help deal with and minimize these taxes.

“It’s a crucial role for advisers. Unless they know what they’re doing, they won’t be able to do their job properly.”

More information: www.iir.com.au/far

Nigel Dique, Media Officer
Telephone: 02 9080 4108
nigel.dique@informa.com.au