THE OBJECTIVE IS CLIENT GRATITUDE

The purpose of all professional services marketing is client gratitude.

Of the two forms of compensation we receive - financial and gratitude, we disperse the first and we retain the second - indefinititly.

This is the case for client centric service based on a view that as a professional financial practitioner our obligation to a client is unequivocally that of a fiduciary.

Dan Zwicker
August 29, 2010

J.D.POWER RELEASES 2010 INVESTOR SATISFACTION STUDY

The new J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study has been released based upon 4,460 surveyed investors who utilize an investment advisor. For the second year in a row Edward Jones received top honors.

The top five consisted of:

Edward Jones

RBC

LPL

Schwab

Raymond James

Ameriprise, Fidelity, UBS, Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley rounded out the top ten for overall satisfaction. However, based upon “investment performance” the top three were LPL, Ameriprise and Schwab.


Overall investor satisfaction with full service investment firms improved noticeably this year, as compared to 2009, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study released today. This looks promising, but the study also showed that as a whole there is also a growing number of investors who believe their investment firm is more driven by profits than by customers. “As a result, delivering the right experience via the advisor is paramount to ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction,” explained David Lo, director of investment services at J.D. Power.

Read entire report:

http://www.rjandmakay.com/rj-and-makay/jd-powers-releases-2010-investor-satisfaction-study.html

Posted by:

RJ & Makay

July 19, 2010

CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT AND INSIGHT AS KEYS TO GROWTH AND INNOVATION

One of the most important frontiers for innovation in the media and
entertainment industry is in how companies engage and interact with
digital consumers, and in how they harness customer insight as an
engine for growth.

Read entire article:

http://www.accenture.com/Global/Research_and_Insights/By_Industry/Media_and_Entertainment/Growth-through-Innovation-in-Media-Entertainment.htm

Accenture
Aug. 13, 2010

BIO

Dan Zwicker

Dan Zwicker has advised individual and corporate clients on wealth and risk management issues for over 30 years. During that time he has held corporate agency building leadership positions with some of Canada’s most successful life insurance companies and served clients as an independent financial consultant as well. Dan’s values based professional practice is premised on client empowerment through insightful awareness.


With considerable experience, expertise and professional discipline to draw on Dan has chosen to focus his consultancy on boomer retirement, estate and business succession planning. A strong proponent of Weigh House’s unbiased planning and oversight services, Dan engages clients one-on-one to assist them in achieving lifetime sustainability of income in meeting their retirement lifestyle objectives.


Born in Montreal, Dan studied Civil (Structural) Engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston, where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Applied Science degree. In addition to his Professional Engineers (P.Eng.) designation, Dan’s credentials include Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Certified Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (CH.F.C.).


With five children and six grandchildren, Dan enjoys an active family life. He is an avid student of politics, economics and professional financial practice. Other interests include new business development, marketing, ‘web 2.0’ social media, community interests and team sports.

LIFETIME SUSTAINABLE INCOME. WHEN OUR NEED BEGINS AND ENDS

The following is a generic North American profile.

Where does our need for income arise at each age?

[What is our source?]

Ages 5 - 13 - expense allowance

- [parents - part time jobs]

Ages 13 - 22 - funding post secondary education

- [summer/part time jobs]

Ages 22 - 60 - marriage - family formation

- [personal employment income]

Ages 60 - 95 - retirement income

- [savings - pension plans - inheritances]

Ages 60 - 95 - Quality of Lifestyle breakdown -

• Ages 22 - 75 - independent living
• Ages 75 - 85 - retirement home
• Ages 85 - 95 - longterm care / nursing home

At every age throughout our life we require personal and financial health to maintain our personal and social dignity.

These 2 needs are non negotiable lifetime requirements.

Achieving both is our challenge.

On a professional level identify financial advisors in whose professional practice you have confidence, compatibility and trust.

Exercise discipline in your choice.

For specific steps on choosing an advisor visit:

http://www.firstfinancialconsultinggroup.com

Click on 'proceed to site'.

Click on the 'Choose an advisor' tab at the top.

If you need any guidance contact me directly at:

T: 416-726-2427

E: danzwicker@rogers.com

I'll be pleased to help.

Dan Zwicker.

SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY HAPPY PEOPLE

A steady flow of new research has managed to pin down what really makes people feel good

Psychologist Adrian White from the University of Leicester looked at more than 100 studies that tracked self-reported happiness around the world. Canada ranked 10th, behind nations like Denmark, Switzerland and Austria, while the United States lagged far behind in 23rd place. If we want to move up in the ranks, it’s time to focus on things that are proven to positively impact on how we feel.

1. Focus on the present

One thing we know from positive psychology is that we may be chasing the wrong things in the quest to feel better. “We’re really bad at predicting what makes us happy,” says Denise Clegg from the University of Pennsylvania (the world’s first school to offer a master’s program in positive psychology). “We get caught up in future thinking and how things will be ideal once our conditions are met.” That could be when you lose 20 pounds, land the perfect job or can afford a real Louis Vuitton bag. “People over-estimate the ability that material goods have to make us happy. But the feeling you get from them is temporary and fleeting,” she says. The happiest among us already have this figured out. They don’t exist in a world of “if only” or “when I finally accomplish X, I will be more satisfied.”

Author and lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar cautions against the trap of living in the future. “In most cases, shortly after reaching some destination, we return to our base level of wellbeing,” he wrote in his book Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment. “Rather than allowing ourselves to remain enslaved by our pasts orfutures, we must learn to make the most of what is presently in front of us and all around us,” he says, noting that a happier life is shaped “experience by experience, moment by moment” — and not by single events. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have goals. According to Ben-Shahar, “The primary objective of goals is to liberate you to enjoy the here and now, the journey.” Ben-Shahar talks about “self-concordant goals,” ones that are true to who you are and don’t rely on extrinsic factors — like trying to please your parents by becoming a doctor. He suggests setting long-term goals with timelines, then planning daily and weekly activities to help you get there.

Read entire article:

http://en.chatelaine.com/english/health/article.jsp?content=20100511_103030_0015&page=1

Michele Sponagle
Chatelaine
August 2010