Interview with Sandra Oakland: Embracing DocPortal for Enhanced Client Services

In this interview, we sat down with Cedars Wealth Management who shared their experience with implementing DocPortal in their practice. DocPortal is an app designed to securely share sensitive documents with clients, and we explored how this innovative tool has enhanced their client interactions and streamlined their operations.

Interviewer: Could you start by telling me a little bit more about your Practice?

Sandra: There's one advisor, Paul White, myself who handles all of the administration, and another lady who provides paraplanning part-time. We're based in Draycott, Derbyshire. We don't have a huge client base, about 140 clients, and they vary between retirement accounts, investment accounts, investment bonds and trusts.

Interviewer: Do you find that the majority of your clients come from within your client bank, in terms of recommendations?

Sandra: Yes, we do. 90% of our clients are from referrals.

Interviewer: Why did you feel the DocPortal was the right app for your Practice?

Sandra: It was demonstrated to us as a way of securely sharing sensitive documents with our clients. We looked into different methods, and I think DocPortal was on the horizon for SJP (St. James's Place). So, we decided to go down that route.

Interviewer: How does that align with your own business strategy?

Sandra: I think it fits in incredibly well. I don't use it through Salesforce at the moment. However, I could do as I'm familiar with Salesforce and I know how to do that. At the moment, I would say that we've probably only got about 8 or 10 clients that have not signed up for the portal. So, it's a really good percentage take up. We share all of our sensitive documents via this method especially following new business and the online advice meetings that we have.

Interviewer: Your Practice clearly had a very successful roll out, having such a high take up percentage. What do you think was key to that success?

Sandra: We put a deadline in place. There was regular communication to all our clients, as a mass mail merge, and we said by December 2021 we wanted everyone to be using it to access their documents. We kept making calls, leaving messages until we got nearly everybody signed up. Going forward, all our new clients have signed up straight away, so because we told them that's the way we communicate with our clients. Its worked really well. Any new person coming on board automatically signs up on the portal.

Interviewer: Are there any standout features from the app that you're excited to start using?

Sandra: I like the reporting. I use that on a regular basis just to see who's on it, and who's not on it, and how many times people have used it. That's been quite useful. I also like the way we split our folders in the app to match the way that we report. We can link the way we report to how what we share with the client.

Interviewer: Has it been a positive response from your clients? Are they finding it a useful app to have?

Sandra: Yes, from the ones that are using it quite regularly when they have new business, regular updates, reviews etc. They know where to look when we've shared their documents on the portal because we provide an email every time. I've noticed though that they don't always open everything we’ve shared; they only take a look at what they want to read.

It's interesting to know that some clients are using it to store their passports and driving licenses because it's always handy.

Interviewer: Have you told people about this feature?

Sandra: Yes, I’ve told them because I'm a client as well as I am an employee. But I admit, I haven't done it yet!! I’ve thought about uploading my own passports and stuff like that because, if I ever go away and I need a quick snapshot, they're there. So, it is on my agenda to do!

Interviewer: Do you feel you would recommend it to other Partners and Practices?

Sandra: Yes, I would, because it's quite a good way of sharing documents without having to go through the method of encrypting. Definitely.

Cedars Wealth Management is a St James’s Place Partner with an emphasis on developing a trusted relationship with their clients, covering all areas of wealth management, including, retirement planning, wealth protection, and investment planning.

Many thanks to Sandra at Cedars Wealth Management for taking the time to discuss their experience with adopting DocPortal within their Practice.

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