Rubii.co.uk is a dedicated wealth management website where consumers can search through a comprehensive database of regulated financial advisors, from general financial planners and wealth managers to tax, pension and investment specialists.
In a UK first, and in response to the ever-growing consumer demand for transparency, Rubii.co.uk will enable consumers to publicly rank advisors and comment on the quality of their service and advice. Highly ranked advisors will receive a prominent position on the site, so for those that provide a good service the potential for leads will be significant.
By giving consumers the power to rank advisors, Rubii.co.uk hopes to incentivise them to provide the highest quality service possible — and on an ongoing basis to maintain their strong rating. It will also give visitors to the site the confidence they need when it comes to choosing a financial advisor.
Rubii.co.uk will be launched to the UK public in January 2009 via a significant consumer PR and marketing campaign targeting the six million or so mass affluent consumers underserved by financial advice.
Advisors keen to sign up need to register on Rubii.co.uk and create a detailed profile providing as much relevant information as possible. This not only ensures they receive the correct, pre-qualified enquiries for their area of expertise but also helps users make an informed decision. To personalise their profile, advisors are also encouraged to add an (acceptable!) photo.
Registration for advisors is free. They will only be charged a fee if and when they accept a meeting with a user. The cost of the lead will be competitively priced compared to current market levels and will depend on whether it is a standard lead or one qualified by specific financial data. In both cases, leads will be detailed and well qualified, which means advisors can spend their time converting a lead to sale rather than waste that time on a fact-finding mission. Advisors also have the option to reject a lead and the opportunity to explain why via a number of pre-defined responses.
As for consumers, to start searching for an advisor all they need to do is register on Rubii.co.uk and create a basic profile. They have two search options available to them: a basic search where they can type in a phrase such as ‘ethical investment W1’ or an advanced search where they can be more specific, for example, ‘Male’ or ‘Female’, financial specialism, ‘Fee’ or ‘Commission’, and ‘Maximum distance from me’. A list of appropriate advisors then appears, with the most highly recommended advisors at the top. Users are also able to save their preferred list of advisors and any pending appointment requests.
Once the user has found an advisor who meets their requirements and who they like the look of, they can send a meeting request. At this point users have the option to provide much more detailed information about their specific needs and circumstances, the type of financial advice they require and the date and time they would like to book an appointment. Rubii.co.uk will automatically send an email to the advisor to tell them that they have been selected by a registered user.
After the user has made contact with an advisor, whether just an initial meeting request or following an actual meeting, they then have the option — and are encouraged — to rate their advisor in terms of their experience and the overall service provided. For their part, advisors have the option to report feedback or comment from a user that they feel to be malicious, unfounded or inaccurate.
Alongside the core advisor search tool will be thought-provoking, lifestyle and money-related content created by leading journalists, industry experts and the registered advisors themselves. Registered advisors will be encouraged to help promote themselves by creating and submitting their own articles and blogs as well as sponsoring key search terms. Companies will also have the opportunity to enhance their prominence on the website through company-sponsored pages.
Users will also be encouraged to rank the articles and blogs on Rubii.co.uk, so advisors can increase their profile by contributing regularly to the ongoing discussions. The high level of content will not only attract people to the site but also engage them to stay. The result will be a strong online community where financial advisors and consumers can openly engage.
Toby Goldblatt of Rubii.co.uk, commented: “When we were developing Rubii.co.uk, we recognised that in a crowded and competitive marketplace it can be a daunting task for any individual to try and find the right financial advice to meet their specific needs. We believe that by empowering consumers to openly and honestly rate the advisors on our site, this will ensure our members will always be motivated to provide the best possible service. It also means that current and future users will have real confidence and peace of mind when it comes to making a choice. Rubii.co.uk is about creating transparency and trust.”
He concluded: “We want to make Rubii.co.uk the definitive resource for financial advisors and the first port of call for consumers when they are looking for expert financial advice. In these difficult times, when the need for sound financial advice is more important than ever, being able to find a recommended and trustworthy advisor is paramount.”
