Refresh Your Client Service Playbook at Year‑End: Processes Every Advisory Firm Must Reevaluate

Your clients don’t care how many systems you deploy. They care about how consistently you deliver value. As you wrap up the year, it’s the ideal moment to revisit and refresh your client-service playbook: the processes, touchpoints and service delivery standards that define your firm’s experience. Here’s your checklist.

1. Map the entire client-service journey
From onboarding to annual review, quarterly check-ins, ad-hoc advice and client exit. Identify every interaction your client has with your firm. Look for consistency, friction points and untapped service opportunities.

2. Tier your service model and define deliverables
Not all clients are the same. Define service tiers (e.g., Basic, Enhanced, Premium) with explicit deliverables, response standards, review cadence and fees. Make sure your internal teams understand what each tier means operationally. This promotes clarity, scalability and fairness.

3. Document and standardize workflows
For each service item (review meeting, portfolio update, tax check-in, client question response), document the workflow: who does what, when, how long it should take and how it’s tracked. Standardization reduces error, speeds delivery and improves client perception.

4. Implement service-quality metrics and feedback loops
Track client satisfaction (NPS or CSAT), adherence to promised timelines, service escalation instances and internal team bottlenecks. Regular feedback helps refine your playbook and signals where staffing or tech investment may be needed.

5. Train your team and schedule refresh reviews
Ensure that everyone; including advisors, service associates, and paraplanners, knows the updated playbook. Schedule annual (or semi-annual) service-playbook reviews so your firm stays current with client expectations, regulation changes and practice evolution.

Conclusion
Refreshing your client-service playbook now gives your firm the operational clarity and service excellence needed to scale and retain clients.

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