Your Google Reviews Tell the Real Story: What Clients Actually Value in Financial Planning

As of today, with 19 five-star Google reviews and countless written testimonials, I’ve learned something important: clients don’t remember the products I recommend. They remember how I made them feel and whether I solved their real problems.

Looking back through these reviews, certain themes emerge again and again. Not about investment performance or product features, but about trust, communication, and genuine care. These patterns reveal what people actually value when choosing a financial planner – and it’s probably not what you’d expect.

“No Hard Sell” Isn’t Just Marketing Speak

Murray’s testimonial captures something I hear repeatedly: “What really stood out was Vig’s approach – there was no hard sell, no pressure to transfer everything to his company. In fact, quite the opposite.”

This isn’t just about being nice. It reflects a fundamental truth about financial planning: the best solutions often aren’t the most expensive ones, and the right advice sometimes means recommending against a particular product or transfer.

Murray continued: “Vig demonstrated a genuine long-term view, clearly recognising that by offering the right advice now, he would earn my trust and likely gain me as a long-term client.”

That’s exactly right. Financial planning isn’t a transaction – it’s a relationship that unfolds over decades. Playing the long game means sometimes saying “don’t transfer that pension” or “you don’t need life insurance” when a commission-focused adviser might push for the sale.

The trust this approach builds is worth far more than any single product commission.

Plain English in a Jargon-Heavy Industry

Jeremy highlighted something clients mention constantly: “He speaks in plain English.”

Financial services has a terrible habit of hiding behind complexity. We talk about “equity risk premiums” and “drawdown crystallisation” when we should be saying “your investments might go down” and “accessing your pension.”

Jeremy also noted: “The depth and width of his knowledge quickly reassure you that you’re in very safe hands.” The combination is crucial – deep expertise communicated simply.Knowing enough to make complex things simple, not using complexity to appear clever.

When clients say they feel “reassured,” they’re not just talking about investment knowledge. They’re talking about the relief of finally understanding their own financial situation.

Being Available When It Matters

Siobhan’s review mentions something that appears in multiple testimonials: “It’s been reassuring to us to know that he’s only ever an email or phone call away when we need advice.”

This availability isn’t about being on call 24/7. It’s about removing the barrier between having a financial question and getting an answer. When clients know they can reach out without feeling like they’re bothering you, they actually ask better questions and make better decisions.

The anxiety many people feel about money often comes from not knowing who to ask when something worries them. Having that person removes a significant source of financial stress.

Problem-Solving, Not Product-Pushing

Ms. Wynn’s testimonial highlighted something particularly important: “Vig’s problem solving techniques are excellent... never daunted by any circumstances or challenges.”

This reflects the reality of financial planning. Clients don’t come to you with neat, textbook problems. They come with messy, complicated situations involving family dynamics, business concerns, health issues, and changing circumstances.

The ability to untangle complex situations and find practical solutions is what clients value most. It’s also what separates real financial planning from product sales.

Authenticity in a World of Scripts

Multiple reviews mention authenticity and trustworthiness. John wrote: “A more honest, trustworthy professional would be hard to find.”

In an industry where many advisers follow scripts and selling processes, genuine authenticity stands out dramatically. Clients can sense when you’re following a formula versus when you’re genuinely listening to their specific situation.

Neil’s testimonial about helping with his parents’ financial affairs captures this: “His professionalism, integrity, and deep knowledge gave us peace of mind during a time when we needed it most.”

When families are dealing with aging parents, complex care needs, or end-of-life planning, authenticity isn’t just nice to have – it’s essential. These situations require genuine empathy and understanding, not sales techniques.

The Long-Term Perspective

Janis mentioned: “Vig has been our Financial Adviser for more than 6 years now... We look forward to working with Vig for many more years.”

This long-term perspective changes everything about how financial planning works. When you know you’ll be working with someone for decades, short-term thinking disappears.

Andy noted: “We are reassured that Vig will be able to offer us advice for as long as we require it.” This isn’t just about age – it’s about knowing your adviser will be there through job changes, house moves, family additions, health scares, and market crashes.

Understanding What Really Matters

What strikes me most about these reviews is what they don’t mention. No one talks about:

• Beating the FTSE 100 by 2%

• Complex structured products

• Offshore tax planning schemes

• Market timing strategies

Instead, they talk about:

• Feeling understood and heard

• Having complex things explained clearly

• Knowing help is available when needed

• Trusting that advice is genuinely in their best interests

• Feeling confident about their financial future

The Ripple Effect of Good Service

Several reviewers mention they actively recommend my services to others. Murray: “I will actively recommend him to colleagues and friends without hesitation.”

This willingness to recommend comes from confidence – confidence that I’ll treat their referrals with the same care they’ve experienced. It’s also recognition that good financial advice improves not just individual situations, but entire families and social circles.

When someone finds an adviser they trust, they want to share that discovery with people they care about.

What This Means for Choosing an Adviser

If you’re looking for financial advice, these reviews reveal what to look for:

Listen to how they communicate: Do they use jargon or plain English? Do they seem to understand your actual concerns or are they following a script?

Notice their approach: Are they pushing products or asking questions? Do they seem interested in your long-term success or immediate transactions?

Consider their availability: How easy is it to get answers to questions? Do you feel like you’re bothering them or welcomed?

Evaluate their authenticity: Do they seem genuine or are they playing a role? Do you trust them with your family’s financial future?

Think long-term: Is this someone you’d want to work with for decades? Do they seem committed to ongoing relationships or one-off transactions?

The Professional Reward

From my perspective, these reviews represent the most rewarding aspect of financial planning. Yes, I help people make money and save tax. But more importantly, I help remove financial anxiety and create confidence about the future.

When John writes: “Since taking on Vig as our financial advisor my wife and I have slept easy safe in the knowledge that we are following the advice of an extremely knowledgeable individual,” that’s the real measure of success.

Financial planning done right doesn’t just improve portfolios – it improves lives. It lets people sleep better, worry less, and focus on what truly matters to them.

Looking Forward

As I read through these reviews, I’m reminded why I chose financial planning as a career. It’s not about the products or the markets or the technical complexity.

It’s about helping people navigate one of the most stressful aspects of modern life – money – with confidence and peace of mind.

The fact that clients take time to write detailed reviews, often years after we first met, tells me we’re doing something right. Not perfect, but right.

And in an industry that often gets things wrong, that matters.