Wk 2 Flashcards
Client Segmentation Strategies
Why segment clients ? Why is segmentation a critical component of understanding wealth management? What are typical segmentation criteria ?
Client segmentation allows wealth managers to tailor services to specific client needs, preferences, and behaviors, enhancing the effectiveness of financial strategies and improving client satisfaction. It’s critical for understanding and addressing diverse client requirements and optimising resource allocation.
What are typical segmentation criteria ?
- Net Worth/Wealth Level: Categorizes clients based on their total assets.
- Income Level: Differentiates clients by their income range.
- Investment Preferences: Classifies clients according to their investment style and risk tolerance.
- Life Stage: Groups clients by life events, such as retirement or wealth accumulation phases.
- Geographic Location: Segments based on clients’ geographic regions.
- Family Structure: Considers clients’ family needs, such as estate planning or education funding.
- Industry/Occupation: Groups clients based on their professional background or business interests.
Others include: age, behaviour, source of funds, appetite for delegation, personal delegation, occupation or nature of business.
What are some progression types of private wealth relationships?
Categorise the following people into these groups.
- Entrepreneur
- Active inherited wealth
- Passive heir
- Professional
- Sportsperson
- Retiree
- Business vendor
- Liquid versus illiquid
- Landowner
- Inpatriate vs expatriot
- Delegator: A client who relies on the wealth manager to make decisions and manage their portfolio with minimal input or oversight. Passive heir, Retiree
- Participator: A client who is actively involved in the decision-making process, providing input and collaborating with the wealth manager. Entrepreneur, Active inherited wealth, Landowner
- Enthusiast: A client who is highly engaged and interested in all aspects of their wealth management, often seeking detailed information and frequent updates. Sportsperson
- Selector: A client who makes key decisions and chooses specific investments or strategies, while the wealth manager provides recommendations and advice. Professional, Active inherited wealth, Landowner
- Comparator: A client who evaluates and compares different options and recommendations from the wealth manager, often seeking validation and multiple perspectives before making decisions. Business vendor, Liquid versus illiquid, Inpatriate vs expatriate
Underlying business purpose and value proposition for understanding client segmentation. What are some issues to consider?
- Matching - of client to advisory resource (consider the benefits and issues in both directions - not just from the perspective of a wealth manager or solely from a client’s perspective)
- Profitability - this follows directly from matching. Will revenue from a client be greater than the costs of service, can economic profit be made?
- Customer satisfaction, retention and churn - will service delivery result in customer
satisfaction and longer-term client retention?
Client segmentation drives allocation of resource and service level, and
is critical to the fundamental economics of the global wealth management industry
Does segmentation actually happen in practice ?
“Most wealth managers already segment their clients quantitatively, into small accounts, the affluent, HNWIs, and UHNWIs. Yet relatively few wealth managers use qualitative segmentations, such as source of wealth, client life-cycle, investment style, or degree of interaction”
What is ‘client coverage’ and how does
segmentation impact this?
Client Coverage refers to the breadth and depth of services provided to clients by a wealth management firm. It encompasses how effectively the firm meets the diverse needs of its clients through personalized attention, tailored strategies, comprehensive financial solutions, resource allocation, efficient service deliver and enhanced relationship mangement.
What is CMB? What is a joint stock bank and why is this relevant? Has CMB ever engaged with foreign strategic investors? What is the history here?
CMB (China Merchants Bank) is a major Chinese commercial bank offering a range of financial services. A joint stock bank is a type of bank owned by shareholders who hold its stock, which is relevant as it affects governance and capital structure. Yes, CMB has engaged with foreign strategic investors, including a significant investment from the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC in the past, reflecting its openness to international partnerships.
Branding - should CMB ‘spin out’ or separate its private bank? How does this fit with client segmentation? How has the private banking evolution differed in Taiwan? Is this relevant for China?
Spinning out or separating the private bank could allow CMB to better target and cater to high-net-worth clients through a distinct brand, aligning more closely with client segmentation and enhancing service specialisation.
How do foreign banks fit in here as potential competitors? Does this link in with foreign strategic investors in regional private banks?
Foreign banks can be significant competitors due to their global expertise and established private banking models, and their involvement as strategic investors can influence regional private banks’ competitive dynamics.
In a retail-driven private banking model - is there moral hazard for the traditional retail operation to hand over their customers to the private bank? How did CMB define their family office solution versus the private bank?
Yes, there could be a moral hazard if the retail operation prioritizes short-term gains over long-term client relationships, potentially leading to conflicts of interest in transferring clients to private banking services. CMB’s family office solutions are tailored to managing the complex needs of high-net-worth families, focusing on personalized wealth management and estate planning, whereas their private banking services offer a broader range of financial products and services.
Is the ‘family office’ concept different in China compared to Europe or the US? What drives this distinction? Do China’s capital controls impact this? What ultimately was the history of CMB’s initial expansion into private banking?
Yes, the family office concept in China often emphasizes managing domestic wealth and navigating capital controls, while in Europe and the US, it may focus more on global asset diversification and tax planning. CMB’s initial expansion into private banking involved developing a dedicated private banking division to cater to high-net-worth clients, driven by China’s growing wealth and demand for personalized financial services.
How did CMB help to define the trusts space in China? What are the challenges ahead for CMB?
CMB played a pioneering role in developing trust services in China by introducing innovative trust structures and solutions, contributing to the growth and sophistication of the trust industry. CMB faces challenges including adapting to evolving regulatory environments, managing increasing competition from both domestic and foreign banks, and addressing the complex needs of a growing and diverse client base.
Culturally - are trusts used for different or additional objectives in China compared to Europe or the United States? How does the ‘three circle’ model apply differently in China to the rest of the world?
In China, trusts are often used for wealth preservation and succession planning due to cultural and regulatory factors, while in Europe and the US, they may also focus on tax optimization and charitable giving. The ‘three circle’ model in China, which considers family, business, and ownership dimensions, may differ due to unique cultural and regulatory contexts affecting family and business dynamics compared to the rest of the world.
