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HOLBROOK, N.Y. (Aug. 5, 2019)—American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (AP)—a privately-held, independent broker/dealer that services financial advisors nationwide—has been named a WealthManagement.com 2019 Industry Award Finalist for Enhanced Customer Service Support in the category of Broker-Dealers with Fewer than 1,000 Advisors. AP was selected among a record number of submissions (from 262 companies with more than 650 entries and 71 award categories). Finalists will be recognized at a black-tie gala to be held on Sept. 12, 2019, at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York, N.Y.
“Being chosen as a finalist for this industry award, in particular, is a distinction we’re very proud to have earned,” states Chief Administrative Officer Dalchand Laljit. “The firm is wholeheartedly committed to serving our valued investment professionals through providing ‘white glove’ customer service. Further, our commitment to serve does not stop with customer service: it includes the use of technology and value-added programs, such as AP’s Advisor Support Center (ASC) Live Chat, whereby customers can chat directly with the firm’s dedicated support specialists; as well as Virtual Administrative Services (VAS) that pair our customers to a dedicated assistant so that they’re able to scale their practices.” This commitment is built into AP’s mission statement and Five-Year Roadmap, which is built on six interconnected strategic company perspectives—People (Performance Culture), Innovation (Platform and Technology Independence), Process (World-Class Service Quality), Customer (Build Advisor Loyalty), Financial (Manage for EBITDA) and Community (Be Socially Responsible)—all of equal importance, and the foundation from which all planning and executions are derived.
“As an industry faced with price compression, financial professionals must look to improve,” states AP CEO Lon T. Dolber. “Advisors need to find efficiencies in their practices, seeking assistance from AP as a solutions provider. We must help our investment professionals navigate through the realities of a new economic engine. By creating service solutions that minimize processing and troubleshooting time, bringing customers into the mix and, most importantly, accepting change, our advisors will be sustainable and thrive for years to come.”
AP earned the aforementioned nomination for Enhanced Customer Service Support for company-wide initiatives geared toward improving services and support for the more than 800 independent investment professionals, as well as their team members, who operate out of nearly 400 branch locations across the United States. The WealthManagement.com 2019 Industry Award nomination criteria focused on an enhancement in customer service support made within the prior 18 months previous to an existing initiative(s). The enhancement(s) began with the deployment and collection of responses garnered from AP’s annual Customer Insight Survey, which allows the firm’s affiliated investment professionals to gauge its performance as an independent broker/dealer. In the last quarter of 2018, all of AP’s home office employees completed the first in a five-module customer service workshop, the AP Service W.E.L.C.O.M.E. Treatment (Win confidence with knowledge, Empathize unconditionally, Listen before acting, Communicate thoughtfully, Open with affability, Manage expectations and Effect problem resolution)—an initiative that was born out of the feedback from AP’s advisor community. The purpose of the workshop is to understand the firm’s expectation of customer service, learn AP’s service principles and commitment to its customers, learn customer service core competencies, understand AP’s expectations on phone etiquette, and learn new skills on how to service customers the AP Way.
Setting the bar higher, AP put in motion meaningful enhancements to its already highly regarded customer service support and offerings to satisfy the needs of its affiliated investment professionals in serving an ever-more demanding investing public. With consummate service readiness through ongoing training of its team, alternative modes of communication for quick and convenient problem resolution, and streamlining process management using AP’s back office, its advisors are better equipped to scale and add greater value to their practices.
About American Portfolios
Headquartered in Holbrook, N.Y., American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc. (APFS) is a full-service, independent broker/dealer and member firm of FINRA and SIPC, offering a complete range of financial services, including personal financial and retirement planning, securities trading, mutual funds, access to investment research, long-term care planning, insurance products and tax-free investing. Fee-based asset management is offered through its sister subsidiary, American Portfolios Advisors, Inc., (APA), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Both entities, along with technology entity American Portfolios Advisory Solutions, LLC, collectively reside under the legal entity American Portfolios Holdings, Inc. (APH). Full-service securities brokerage is available through a clearing firm relationship with Pershing, LLC, a BNY Mellon firm, the securities of which are held on a fully disclosed basis. The company currently serves 847 independent investment professionals located in 392 branch locations throughout the nation. It was named Broker-Dealer of the Year* (Division III) by Investment Advisor magazine in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, as well as one of the Best Companies to Work for in the state of New York for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 by the New York State Society for Human Resources Management (NYS-SHRM) and the Best Companies Group (BCG).
*Based on a poll of registered representatives conducted by Investment Advisor magazine. Broker/dealers rated highest by their representatives are awarded “Broker/Dealer (B/D) of the Year.”
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