CASE STUDY
Savant Wealth Finds Its All-in-One Solution For Better Investment Analysis & Client Communication
About
For more than 35 years, Illinois-based Savant Wealth Management has served individuals, families, and businesses as a fee-only, independent registered investment advisor focused on one key principle – placing clients’ interests first. Now, with more than 200 employees and offices in seven states, Savant’s Wise Counsel helps clients pursue financial wellbeing and peace of mind with a deep bench of in-house wealth management, investment management, estate planning, taxation and accounting specialists.
Savant’s chief investment officer, Phil Huber, CFP®, CFA, helps guide the firm’s investment research and portfolio management functions and co-chairs the investment committee with Gina M. Beall CIMA®, MBA, Director of Investment Research. Phil and Gina rely on YCharts as a tool to respond quickly to client requests for information, and to communicate the firm’s investment strategy in a clean, easily understandable way.
The Challenge
As Savant’s business grew, the investment team found it increasingly difficult to find the ideal communication tool to serve the needs of the firm’s client base. Phil had started blogging as a way to help him organize his thoughts and communicate his views, but he longed for a technology-enabled solution that would enable the investment team to improve collaboration and create professional-looking charts, model portfolios, and reports that Savant’s advisors would be proud to share with clients.
"Gina and I work with a group of investment research analysts, and we all need access to the same data and tools,” Phil shared. “When we get requests from clients and prospects regarding a concentrated holding or a question about a fund, we need to be able to pull that information quickly.”
When we get requests from clients and prospects regarding a concentrated holding or a question about a fund, we need to be able to pull that information quickly.
The Solution
As his team got up and running with YCharts, Phil immediately saw how the platform enables various efficiencies. He quickly created Watchlists to monitor client holdings and new investment opportunities using the YCharts’ Dashboard.
Not only did portfolio construction improve; Phil and his team were better able to communicate with clients about Savant’s investment strategy. During client meetings, Phil can pull up YCharts on a monitor along with other account information, and toggle between the client’s individual financial plan, and YCharts’ Fundamental Charts and Model Portfolios to give clients a 360-degree view.
“We’re no longer printing out big stacks of portfolio reviews,” Phil says. “I use YCharts to answer questions on the fly and use the charts to provide other valuable information in a visual way.”
Phil also uses YCharts to incorporate visual elements in his
tweets and blog posts. In a few clicks, using the Fundamental Charts tool, Phil can illustrate investment ideas, depict economic trends, and analyze performance with presentation-ready visuals.
“Social media and blogging create an opportunity to have impactful engagement with prospects, especially younger people, because that’s how they do their homework,” Phil explained. “I’ve also used my blog and social media to explain complex concepts to clients using YCharts.”
In addition to Twitter and his blog, Phil also leverages YCharts in his broadcast messages to all of his clients. Savant produces several client-facing webinars throughout the year and in those presentations, you’ll often find a number of YCharts visuals that help illustrate the economic climate, timely market topics, and the firm’s investment philosophy.
We’re no longer printing out big stacks of portfolio reviews. I use YCharts to answer questions on the fly and use the charts to provide other valuable information in a visual way
The Results
As model-based strategies have continued to permeate the world of financial advice, Phil is excited to have YCharts at his fingertips to quickly analyze the firm’s model portfolios and create reports for client communication.
“I’m familiar with the wealth-tech landscape and there hasn’t been a great solution for model management and creating presentations and client materials,” said Phil. “We love the direction of YCharts’ Model Portfolios functionality. The tool has really helped with our team collaboration.”
YCharts’ sharing capabilities have created efficiencies for Savant’s investment research team, as well as improved communication with the firm’s team of advisors. With access to the same data and tools, Savant's advisors can focus more of their time on relationship building and providing excellent client service.
Phil has also been impressed with the service he has received from the YCharts team. When reaching out to YCharts for help, whether it’s to learn new functionality or to create custom reports, “It has been a near-seamless experience,” Phil says.
“It’s easy to figure out how to customize your Dashboard and Watchlists,” said Phil. “YCharts is much more intuitive than other technology I’ve encountered.”
Phil believes YCharts can serve advisors of all kinds, in both active and passive firms.“YCharts has built a one-stop solution that advisors can use to drive all of their investment research and data analytics,” said Phil. “I find it a more cost-efficient solution than other tools because advisors can take full advantage of its functionality. YCharts feels like it is made for advisors.”
YCharts has built a one-stop solution that advisors can use to drive all of their investment research and data analytics. I find it a more cost-efficient solution than other tools because advisors can take full advantage of its functionality. YCharts feels like it is made for advisors.
Success Made With YCharts
Equipped with YCharts to support its investment research and client communication, Savant Wealth Management is a modernized wealth management firm thriving in the new age of financial advice.