Timeline Overview
T‑30 to T‑21 (announce & collect)
Announce Surge dates and how scheduling works.
Request required documents (tax return, statements, updates).
Identify which clients need pre‑meeting mailouts (e.g., “Homework” or other prep).
T‑14 (validate & assemble)
Validate data (accounts, beneficiaries, insurance, liquidity).
Build meeting packets; confirm agendas.
T‑7 (finalize & brief)
Lock the schedule; send confirmations.
Team stand‑up: roles, escalation, and exception handling.
Pre‑Appointment Checklist (Starter)
Latest tax return on file
Account statements imported
Beneficiary confirmations requested/updated
Outstanding tasks from last meeting resolved/assigned
Agenda and key talking points prepared
Any pre‑meeting mailouts sent (and noted)
Roles & Handoffs (Example)
Relationship Manager (RM): Scheduling, confirmations, agenda email, day‑of check‑ins.
Operations (Ops): Packet build, data checks, signatures/e‑sign prep, post‑meeting task entry.
Advisor: Final review, delivery, decisions, post‑meeting dictation.
Define “done means” for each deliverable (what complete looks like, where it’s stored, by when).
Day‑Of Meeting Flow
Morning huddle (15 min): hotspots, exceptions, who needs follow‑up today.
Run meetings on time (≤ 60 minutes).
Immediately after each meeting: do the 15‑minute dictation (below).
Ops/RM execute handoffs from dictation tasks.
Shutdown ritual: ensure tomorrow’s packets are 100% ready.
The 15‑Minute Dictation Method (Template)
Use this right after each meeting to prep the next one and eliminate re‑work.
Client: [Household] Date: [Today] Next Meeting Target: [Month/Season] Within 7 Days (owner -> due date): - [ ] Task 1 … (Owner) -> [Due] - [ ] Task 2 … (Owner) -> [Due] Requests/Reviews (what we need from client or to verify internally): - [ ] Item A … - [ ] Item B … Next Meeting Agenda & My POV: - Topic 1 — [why it matters / my stance] - Topic 2 — [decision needed] - Value Add we plan to use: [Name] Notes: - [context or risks]
Litmus test: If a team member has to ask what you meant, the dictation wasn’t clear enough.
Exception Handling & Triage (Between Surges)
Level 1: True urgent (e.g., death, major transaction deadline).
Same‑day route to advisor; schedule an exception slot.Level 2: Time‑sensitive but not critical.
RM/Ops respond within 1 business day; schedule in next available non‑meeting block.Level 3: Routine requests.
Acknowledge and queue for next cycle or scheduled admin time.
Document exceptions in a simple Exception Log (client, issue, level, resolution, date).
Do / Don’t During Surge
Do
Start/stop on time with a timer.
Protect lunch and buffers.
Use the dictation method after every meeting.
Thank your team daily; they Surge longer than you do.
Don’t
Introduce new processes mid‑Surge.
Let meetings run long.
Accept drop‑ins that break the block.
Criticize staff for misses without fixing the system first.
Staff Care (Matters More Than You Think)
Expect staff to be in Surge mode 2–3 weeks longer than the advisor.
Ask, “What do you need from me to do your job well?”
When mistakes happen, blame the system before the person and improve the checklist/runbook.
Success Checklist
All packets complete the day before
Every meeting had a clear dictation memo
Exceptions logged and resolved by level
No process changes mid‑Surge
Team debrief scheduled (see Article 3)