Adapting digitally: PSG honours its top advisers and offices
PSG Konsult has announced its top advisers and offices for the 2019/2020 year. Traditionally held at Sun City as part of PSG’s annual conference, the awards were held by virtual ceremony (a first for the company) in May.
FAnews would like to congratulate the following winners:
Wealth Adviser of the Year
Nelis Brink, PSG Wealth R21 Employee Benefits
Wealth Manager of the Year
Willem Theron, PSG Wealth Tygervalley
Wealth Manager: Securities of the Year
Schalk Roelofse, PSG Wealth Lowveld Stockbroking and Financial Planning
Insure Adviser of the Year
Deon Labuschagne, PSG Insure Centurion Short-Term
Office of the Year
PSG Wealth Melrose Arch
Employee Benefits Office of the Year
PSG Wealth R21 Employee Benefits
Recognising top talent
These annual awards seek to recognise top talent in the company for their professionalism and embracing the PSG strategy. PSG has the largest network of independent financial advisers in South Africa and Namibia, with 559 wealth advisers and 376 insure advisers as at 29 February 2020.
“Our annual awards encourage healthy competition among our network. While profitability plays a role in the award selection, the extent to which advisers embrace our trusted PSG processes and live our values are also key considerations. These awards are also integral to encouraging PSG’s culture of client-centricity and excellence that has earned us the reputation we have built over the last 22 years,” says Dan Hugo, CE of Distribution at PSG.
“Providing excellent service to our clients and building a great business is a team effort. These awards are also in celebration of our clients’ success. These achievements would not be possible without their continued support and loyalty,” added Hugo.
Advisers are facing a challenging environment in light of Covid-19
PSG prides itself on being good at adapting to change. Hugo points out that PSG has taken to the virtual environment imposed by the recent lockdown with ease. Beyond keeping the awards on the calendar, the firm has long relied on its myPractice system to digitise its business, and this has made the transition to work-from-home virtually seamless over the past few months.
During the lockdown period until mid-May, PSG Konsult logged 32 client and adviser webinars, issued ten weekly client communications to just over 135 000 clients, and produced a series of 18-advice focused communications for advisers. Through Microsoft Teams (the firms’ preferred platform) 64 000 one-on-one calls were conducted, 40 000 meetings took place, and 343 000 chat messages were exchanged between personnel. This underscores the firm’s commitment to keeping clients informed and building long-term relationships with clients.
PSG’s connected infrastructure enabled a number of business successes, even in the midst of the unprecedented lockdown. Advisers succeeded in concluding transactions digitally from the first meeting to the business implementation phase and have been able to assist clients as though it is business as usual.
Looking forward to another successful year
PSG mentioned to FAnews that they are eager to continue expanding their adviser network through both organic growth and selected adviser acquisitions. Growing its footprint will enable the firm to better serve its clients throughout the country and is thus integral to the group’s client-centric approach. Advisers who are interested in being part of the PSG Konsult Group can contact Chris Liebenberg at [email protected]
PSG’s commitment to delivering client excellence also means creating competition between advisers
“The recent lockdown experience simply shows that PSG is positioned for the challenges of the future, and is ready to continue growing its business. “We look forward to next year’s awards, where we expect to see how our adviser offices have continued to flourish despite difficult market conditions,” Hugo says.
And now a bit of a closer look at the 2019/2020 PSG award winners
Second time is a charm
Taking his second consecutive win, Nelis Brink from the PSG Wealth R21 Employee Benefits office was named Wealth Adviser of the Year. Growing up in a financial planning home gave Nelis a unique appreciation for the challenges facing clients. He entered the industry in 2011 as a broker consultant, joining PSG in October 2012. “I have the best team in the business, with our daily goal to create the ultimate client experience, regardless of economic conditions. We aim to provide trusted guidance to our clients through uncertain times,” Nelis says on his most recent win.
Western Cape win for Wealth Manager of the Year
Willem Theron from the PSG Wealth Tygervalley office in the northern suburbs of the Western Cape took the top spot in this category. “It’s an honour to be the recipient of this award, but it would not be possible without the support from my family and partners,” Willem says.
The lure of the Lowveld
Taking first place as Wealth Manager: Securities of the Year, Schalk Roelofse from PSG Wealth Lowveld Stockbroking and Financial Planning notes that clients are central to the success of their office. “We know that the loyalty of our clients is our biggest asset,” he says. The office continues to build the PSG brand in the Lowveld region.
Success in short-term goes the distance
Deon Labuschagne from the PSG Insure Centurion Short-Term office won Insure Adviser of the Year. A multi-award-winning adviser prior to joining PSG, Deon joined the Centurion office in 2016. This is his second nomination and first win as PSG’s Insure Adviser of the Year. Deon first joined the insurance industry in 1997.
Two of his fellow advisers in the same office were also nominees for the award, Almariè Büchner and Hercus Mahoney. “Thank you to the management team of PSG, and well done to all the other nominees. Thank you to my team for all the effort and hard work. My success is made possible by your commitment,” says Deon.
Outstanding office overall
PSG Wealth Melrose Arch won Office of the Year 2019/2020. This is the first win for the office and recognises its strategy in recent years to upgrade its adviser and administrative base, with a series of new appointments, integrating new and trusted talent. “This has worked better than we could’ve imagined,” says Heinrich Richter, from the office and last year’s Wealth Manager of the Year winner.
The Melrose Arch team comprises of 14 advisers and 13 admin staff, handling over 1000 high net worth families’ financial matters.
An eighth employee benefits accolade
PSG Wealth R21 Employee Benefits is no stranger to PSG award recognition, having won its eighth award as Employee Benefits Office of the Year.
“I have learnt that a successful practice can only be built on the foundation of a strong team,” says Nerine Brink, from the R21 office. “We are learning to navigate the difficult times together, and have emerged with greater strength, passion and understanding of the importance and relevance of what we do.” The practice has 150 years of experience collectively.
“Over the years, R21 has shown that they have what it takes to continue delivering what clients need. Congratulations to all of our winners. You have achieved success despite the challenges in the market,” Dan Hugo concludes.
Writer’s thoughts:
Our industry has adapted to the online world faster and more efficiently than we ever thought, and lockdown did not even stop award ceremonies and conferences. The PSG awards event is yet another example of how life can go on, and we would like to congratulate PSG on a well-executed online event. Congratulations to the winners; the competition is always tough in your world! Please comment below, interact with us on Twitter at @fanews_online or email me us your thoughts [email protected].
