Investors are as satisfied with full-service investment firms as they were before the recession, but client expectations have increased, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Full Service Investor Satisfaction Study.
Overall, the firm measured investor satisfaction at 775 on a 1,000-point scale, up from 772 a year earlier, according to the marketing information and research form based in Westlake Village, Calif.
Yet investment firms are not home free. They charted lower scores in three areas: financial advisor (699, down from 737 in 2008); investment performance (636, down from 700 in 2008); and fees and commissions (636, down from 700 in 2008).
“Advisor contact levels have not declined. The frequency of proactive outreach regarding investors’ portfolio and investment performance has increased slightly,” said David Lo, director of investment services at J.D. Power and Associates.
The findings suggest that investors have been using the Internet, including social media sites, to absorb information about investments and the advisory profession, and are holding advisors to higher standards.
The study, in its 10th year, measures satisfaction in seven areas: investment advisor, investment performance, account information, account offerings, commissions and fees, Website, and problem resolution.
As for individual firms, Edward Jones garnered the most satisfaction among investors. It scored 803 points out of a possible 1,000 in the survey.
Fidelity Investments scored 800 points in overall investor satisfaction; Charles Schwab, 787; LPL Financial 786; and Raymond James Financial scored 786 points, rounding out the top five firms.
