When your dedicated point of contact goes on vacation, takes leave, or simply has a packed day—what happens to you?
For many investment firms, the answer is: not much. Things stall. Emails go unanswered. You get passed to someone who doesn’t really know your business. Or worse, you're left to chase down updates yourself.
We’ve heard this feedback repeatedly, most recently from prospects frustrated by inconsistent service from their current providers. The concern isn’t about individual capability; it's about systemic gaps. When the primary contact is out, clients experience sluggish support, surface-level answers, and a noticeable drop in service quality.
If that sounds familiar, it might be time to ask your service provider a few pointed questions to ensure your operational continuity is actually being protected.
Six Questions to Ask Your Current (or Prospective) Provider
- Who steps in when my main point of contact is out?
- Is there a designated backup? A team-based model? Or does it fall to “whoever’s around”?
- Does that person (or team) understand my business, workflows, and data flows?
- Familiarity matters. A true backup model involves shared institutional knowledge—not just access to your account.
- How are client requests tracked, escalated, and resolved?
- Ad hoc handoffs can cause delays. A structured system (like a service desk or ticketing platform) ensures no request gets lost or buried.
- Is performance tracked and measured across the service team—not just individuals?
- Metrics should include responsiveness, issue resolution time, and client satisfaction—with visibility across your entire service team.
- Do you meet regularly to discuss open items, pain points, and evolving needs?
- Operational meetings (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) help keep both parties aligned and proactive—rather than reactive.
- What happens during high-volume periods like quarter-end or regulatory deadlines?
- This is when cracks in the backup model tend to show. Your provider should be able to articulate how they plan for spikes and cross-train their teams.
Reliability Isn’t Just About People—It’s About Process
It's easy to market “white glove service” or say that someone is “always available.” But real continuity requires a model that’s built for consistency—even when individuals are unavailable.
So, the next time you're reviewing your current provider (or evaluating new ones) don’t just ask about the lead contact. Ask about the system around them.
Because in this business, confidence comes from knowing that your service won’t skip a beat.