Switching Dealers

For independent advisors, the relationship with your dealer can make either a positive or negative difference in your business. The right one will be there for you and help you through your challenges, while the wrong dealership can frustrate and hold you back from achieving your goals.

Change is never easy but always breeds opportunity, so you need to ensure that any dealer you are considering can support you in the direction you have set and not provide you with different roadblocks.

Evaluating specific firms

It's always easy to assume that the grass is greener someplace else, but to actually make a sound decision you need to take a hard look at specifics and objectively compare apples to apples. The last thing you want is to go through the entire process of choosing and transitioning to a new dealership only to find that it actually isn’t a good fit after all.

There's no substitute for face-to-face contact. Visit any dealership you are seriously considering. Talk to planners and advisors currently with the firm. When possible, talk to the supplier firms and wholesalers who have done business with them. Every viewpoint puts you in a better position to make the right decision.

Make a rational, systematic assessment of your choices, but don't forget to listen to what your instincts tell you. Above all, remember that there is no "perfect" independent dealer -there is only the best choice for you. As you make your decision, carefully consider the highly individual needs of your business and how a given company can help you meet them.