Client’s own words (COWs).
This is a powerful and effective way of personalising suitability reports. When you gather know your customer (KYC) information (see ‘K’ blog post) try to record some of the client requirements and objectives using their own words, so that you can repeat the quotes back to the client in the reports.
This provides the ultimate in personalisation and is a great way to cement recommendations.
If you can quote something like
“Both you and Beth want to use you maximum ISA allowance for the next 7 years (when you plan to retire Tom) for the purpose of supplementing your retirement income but also to buy that camper van you’ve always wanted and fulfil your dream of driving around Europe”.



Can you advise on Shares?
Paul Jay Compliance 2018, FCA, MiFID, Pension, PI, protection, Register, Security, transfer
What do you do? Your client has inherited some (insert company name) shares and she asks you, as her trusted financial planner, what to do with them. Do you tell her that you don’t advise on individual shares and recommend that she goes to a stockbroker? But wait, that loses you credibility and might […]