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Orion CEO Natalie Wolfsen

Technology > Marketing Technology

Advisors Plan to Hike Spending on Client-Facing Tech: Survey

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Fifty-two percent of fiduciary advisors said they plan to invest more in client-facing technology in 2024, according to survey results released Thursday by Orion, a wealthtech solutions provider. 

“Investors are demanding more of their advisors and advisors are poised to deliver,” Orion CEO Natalie Wolfsen said in remarks during the firm’s recent Ascent 2024 conference. “In the next three years, two-thirds of advisors say they will deliver a more personalized, customized client experience.” 

Logica Research conducted the survey in January among 542 advisors who were recruited using Orion’s internal database and that of Redtail CRM, its client relationship management system, as well as an independent third-party sample.

Ninety percent of survey participants said they are expecting continued strong growth this year, on average 16%. Orion noted that over the prior three years, advisors surveyed grew their firm’s assets under management by an average of 26%.

While advisors consider technology key to powering continued growth, just 9% of respondents said their firm has all the technology solutions they need. Orion said this indicates widespread recognition of the necessity for further investment in this area. 

Consistent with Orion’s 2023 survey results, overall technology expenditure is expected to rise by 8% this year, highlighting a continued commitment to leveraging technology as a driver of future growth.

Reducing Time for Low-Impact Tasks

The survey uncovered a serious need for improved tech stack integration. Twenty-five percent of advisors said that disconnected solutions are their primary pain point related to technology — well ahead of cost, cited by 18%. 

On average, advisors said that half their technology is integrated. Orion said improving and integrating tech stacks will enable advisors to decrease time spent on operational and administrative tasks, which take up 28% of their workday.

According to the survey, advisors are using outsourcing to focus on their core competencies. Survey respondents said they expect their outsourcing spend to increase by an average of 4% this year. 

Here’s a snapshot of how many advisors are already fully or partially outsourcing various tasks:

  • Compliance and regulatory reporting: 46%
  • Portfolio accounting: 46%
  • Investment management: 38%
  • Trade execution: 36%
  • Client reporting and communication: 34%

In addition, one-fifth of advisors showed increased interest in outsourcing portfolio management because of market volatility. On average, they spend 19% of their day on investment and trading tasks.

Focus on AI

As the industry anticipates disruptive trends, advisors are increasingly directing their attention toward the potential effects of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Thirty-eight percent of respondents expect these technologies to be the most disruptive influence on the wealth management industry in the coming three years, up 15 percentage points from the 2023 survey.

This shift in perspective is likely to shape investment and adoption strategies, as 30% of advisors in the new survey plan to harness AI and machine learning within three years, compared with 18% in last year’s survey. 

Orion said this cautious optimism is rooted in a desire to fulfill client demands for more sophisticated technology and to make their own operations more efficient. 


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