A new survey identifies that advisors have high expectations for their dealer firms concerning technology and the support available for high-net-worth (HNW) clients, and it finds these are areas where advisors’ expectations aren’t always being met.
That echoes key findings in Investment Executive’s (IE) 2025 Report Card series.
The new survey, of 309 independent advisors from across the Canadian wealth management sector, was conducted in August by Environics on behalf of IG Wealth Management. According to a press release, 52% of advisors in the new poll identified the addition of new HNW clients as a significant area of growth over the next five years. At the same time, 57% said their dealer’s level of support for these HNW clients as fair or worse.
Other areas rated fair or lower included digital marketing support (59% said so) and support for hosting client events and seminars (65%).
Concerning technology, 56% of advisors said digital support was crucial so they could improve operational efficiency and advance their practices. But 49% described their dealer’s support for time-saving technology as fair or below. And 45% said the same of technology and tools that offer a complete view of a client’s financial picture.
A little under one-third (31%) of respondents expect to retire within the next decade. However, 57% of that group said they don’t yet have a formal or informal succession plan. Dealer support for developing a succession plan was rated poorly, with 57% categorizing the support as fair or worse.
IG Wealth plans to release more findings from the same survey in the first half of 2026. Its inaugural survey of independent advisors involved members of the Environics Research Advisor Panel, an opt-in group.
IG Wealth is one of 31 participants in IE’s research series, as part of the Dealers’ Report Card and the Advisors’ Report Card.
This story has been edited.