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October 14, 2011 at 09:09 AM
Financial advisors polled by Aite Group said they preferred using iPads and iPhones over BlackBerry devices, according to a report released Thursday.
The survey of 402 advisors found that 45% would choose an Apple iPad (26%) or iPhone (, while 15% percent would pick an Android phone and 14% a BlackBerry for their mobile communications–if their firms gave them the chance to switch technology. At present, some 30% of advisors carry a Blackberry, 24% an iPhone, 17% an Android phone and 10% an iPad.
“Wealth management firms are clearly late to the game, and most firms still struggle to define a fitting mobile strategy,” said Alois Pirker, research director with Aite Group and author of the report, in a statement.
“At a time when switching firms has become a frequent occurrence for financial advisors, wealth management firms must be sure to understand advisors’ technological needs in order to retain valued producers,” continued Pirker.
The study, based on research conducted in March, found that using mobile devices was increasingly important to advisers, many of whom service clients who have hand-held devices and online access brokerage services.
Nearly half the advisors surveyed, or 43%, said having mobile access to business applications was “important” or “very important” to them in 2011. About one-third, or 33%, stated that they were “neutral” in mobile technology, and 23% said the IT issue was of little or no importance to them.
