Gmail Prioritizes Your Email Based On Your Habits

I’ve been waiting for something like this to come along to email. Sorting email by timestamps is sooo 20th century…

Posted in Efficiency | No Comments »

More Monitors Equals More Productivity? Not Necessarily

We’ve written before how adding a second (or third) monitor to an advisor’s workspace can unlock additional productivity (Increase Adviser Productivity At Least 10%).

Now there’s a discussion developing on the Lifehacker website over whether the gain in productivity is actually true or not.

Click here to read Is the Multiple-Monitor Productivity Boost a Myth? at Lifehacker.com

The debate circles around the overall screen real estate available (e.g. pixels) when working with multiple programs and talks about settings for screen resolution and monitor size. I believe that one can be just as efficient when working on one large monitor with suitable dimensions compared to two monitors that feature an equivalent resolution.

Still, the argument that multiple monitors does not add to one’s productivity is not absolute. It depends on several factors that vary significantly from user to user.

So my takeaway for advisors considering multiple monitors is as follows:

• 20″ widescreen monitors should be sufficient to display large records side-by-side.
• Choose one monitor for your active workspace and one for your reference materials. Try not to switch back and forth between monitors to display active programs. Choose one and stick with it.
• Finally, don’t leave any email program active on any monitor at any time!

Posted in Efficiency | No Comments »

New at Morningstar Advisor: Rescue Your Imperiled Productivity

My August column for Morningstar Advisor is now available!

This month I find out just how productive I spend my time each day using a convenient time management utility. If advisors aren’t measuring time spent on daily tasks, how can they identify changes to make to enhance their productivity?

Click here to read “Rescue Your Imperiled Productivity” at Morningstar Advisor.

Posted in Efficiency | No Comments »

The Standard® Webinar Series Replay on Productivity Now Available

The replay for the webinar I did on productivity for The Standard® Webinar Series is now available. I hope you enjoy the replay and take away a few tips on how you can get the most out of each workday.

Click here to visit The Standard® Webinar Series page and view the replay (63 minutes). It’s free!

Posted in Efficiency | 2 Comments »

Efficient Internet Reading: Get More Content, Get Less Junk

Thanks to Andrew Tobias for pointing me towards a bookmarklet called Readability (had I kept up on my Lifehacker RSS reading, I would have seen Readability back in March).

I could spend a few paragraphs explaining how to install the bookmarklet and how it makes reading stuff on the Internet easier, but allow me to let the pictures tell the story.

So, out of the two identical articles below, which one do you want to read?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Efficiency, Software | 1 Comment »

ByAllAccounts Offers Free Service and Referral Incentive to PortfolioCenter® Users

ByAllAccounts, one of the leading asset aggregation providers in the independent investment adviser space, just announced two incentives for advisers using the Schwab Performance Technologies® PortfolioCenter® portfolio management system.

Here are the details:

If you’re a current PortfolioCenter® user, you can earn a $500 credit for each referral that signs up for the aggregation service by December 31, 2009.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Efficiency, Portfolio Management Software, Technology | No Comments »

One Adviser’s Battle Against Inefficient Workflow

With increased workload and compressed margins of the last 12 months, financial advisers are looking for ways to maintain excellent client service while streamlining internal processes. One popular area for efficiency gains is the management of internal workflow.

I want to share an article published on IATechForum that highlights Laserfiche’s Avante product. Joseph Salpietro, President and CEO of Xpyria Investment Advisors (why the website domain is yannico.com is beyond me), shares his experience integrating the product into existing firm functions.

While the article features only the Avante solution (Laserfiche is one of the primary forum members), pay attention to the concepts of how the software was used to eliminate paper-pushing in the firm’s processes.

Click here to read Making Work Flow on IATechForum.

Posted in Efficiency | No Comments »

Save Time & Money: Free Long Distance Calls to Businesses

This post was originally published at advisors4advisors.com on July 27, 2009. For continuously updated news, information, and commentary relevant to financial advisors, sign up today.

Nearly all wealth management firms are experiencing declining revenues and increasing operating costs, compressing profit margins in all areas. Here is one simple solution to save time and money on a ubiquitous entry in a firm’s operating expenses: long distance phone calls.

Google has a free 411 service, GOOG-411, that allows users to call nearly any business nationwide and connect for free.

How It Works

GOOG-411 is simple to use. From any phone, dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-4664-411). At the prompt, say the business name followed by the city and state. GOOG-411′s voice recognition will attempt to match the request to businesses listed in its ever-growing directory. If the request is recognized, GOOG-411 offers the top listing and will automatically connect to the business unless given other instructions.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Efficiency, Technology | No Comments »

More Outlook Optimization with “Inbox Zero”

One of my goals to kick off 2009 (which I have yet to write about!) is to work on using Outlook more effectively and efficiently.

I previously wrote about optimizing your Outlook habits by only using the program at three specific times during your workday (say, 10am, noon, and 4pm or whatever you find works in your schedule).

Today, I’m happy to report that since the beginning of 2009, I have worked on eliminating all the pending emails in my Outlook Inbox so I can reach the ultimate goal of Inbox Zero.  Here’s what my inbox looks like today:

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Efficiency | 4 Comments »

Streamline Your Practice in a Recession

Readers of FPPad.com know that we’re in a recession.  Not very many needed the National Bureau of Economic Research to tell them that we’ve been in one since December 2007.  While little can be done to cure the ills of the global economy, advisers can evaluate how their business is positioned in order to thrive in the face of economic pressures.

I want to comment about positioning a practice in a recession after reading David Drucker’s article on Morningstar Advisor, Practice Management in a Recession.

Drucker interviewed two broker-dealer firms to discover what their reps are doing to respond to the recession.  What are they doing?  First, reps are committed to continued spending on marketing to new clients, and second, they are looking to reduce operational inefficiencies in their practice.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Efficiency, Practice Management | 4 Comments »