“We aim to become a trusted adviser”. A hackneyed phrase, much used in the mission statements of professional services firms, but there is often little real understanding of what it really means. Like “putting clients first”, it sounds good and is designed to make clients feel they are at the centre of things.
The reality for some firms, however, is that it is often more a case of “transactions first, not clients”. If firms are serious about earning trusted adviser status, what do they need to do about it?
