Redefining the adviser approach for younger generations

Our ‘In Focus’ campaign this month explores how younger generations are reshaping the advice landscape, from where they turn for financial guidance to the expectations, priorities and behaviours advisers need to understand.

Emmanuelle Mure, head of platform relationships at RBC Brewin Dolphin, examines how adviser platforms have become a central part of the client experience, particularly for younger investors with more digital-first expectations.

The financial advice industry has undergone a quiet transformation over the past two decades. Adviser platforms have evolved from clunky, transactional tools into sophisticated engines that sit at the centre of client value delivery. Yet when it comes to serving younger clients, there’s a still gap between capability and experience.

For younger generations, the platform isn’t a separate operational layer, it’s an integral part of the advice relationship. They don’t distinguish between “the platform experience” and “the adviser experience”. To them, it’s all one and the same, and that is where both the challenge and the opportunity lie.

The expectation gap

Younger clients arrive with expectations shaped by every other digital interaction in their lives. They are used to immediacy, clarity, and control. They track spending in real time, move money with a few taps, and expect transparency as standard.

Then, they encounter wealth management. Suddenly, timelines stretch, information becomes periodic rather than continuous, language becomes more technical, and the sense of control can often feel diluted.

It’s not that advisers aren’t delivering value – far from it, because everything advisers do is designed to add value. But the perception of value is being filtered through an experience that often feels out of step with what these clients are used to.

Platforms as a human interface

There’s a persistent misconception that platforms are purely operational – back office engines for portfolio administration. In reality, they’ve become one of the most visible expressions of an adviser’s proposition.

For younger clients especially, the platform represents the day-to-day relationship. They log in, check performance, look for updates and judge clarity, usability, and responsiveness. Consciously or not, they attribute that experience to their adviser.

This creates a subtle but important shift. Advisers are no longer just curators of financial strategy, but curators of a digital experience. The platform either reinforces or undermines the advice value proposition with every client interaction.

What younger clients value

There’s a tendency to assume younger clients are primarily fee-sensitive or short-term in outlook. In my experience, that’s too simplistic, and often incorrect. Younger clients genuinely value transparency. They want to understand what’s happening and why. They expect accessibility and the ability to engage on their terms, whether digitally, asynchronously, or outside traditional hours. Most importantly, they seek relevant advice that connects to real life goals, such as property ownership, career transitions, family planning, and financial independence. Taking a genuine partnership approach with a focus on open conversations about options and aspirations is also very important, in every client interaction but I’ve found even more so with younger clients.

None of this diminishes the adviser’s role. If anything, it elevates it. But delivery needs to evolve accordingly.

The adviser as translator, not gatekeeper

One of the most significant shifts in recent years has been in how advisers position themselves. Historically, advisers were gatekeepers of information, interpreting complex financial landscapes on behalf of clients. Today, information is abundant and younger clients can access it independently.

Therefore, the adviser’s role becomes more nuanced, translating complexity and guiding clients through uncertainty. Platforms either support or undermine this. When clients log in and encounter inconsistent, unclear, or difficult-to-interpret information, it creates friction. Meanwhile, when the platform reinforces the adviser’s narrative through clear reporting and meaningful insights, it strengthens trust.

The human element in a digital age

As platforms become more central, there’s a risk the experience feels increasingly impersonal. In practice, the opposite should be true. Used well, platforms can enhance the human relationship. They free up time from administration, allowing advisers to focus on conversations that matter. They provide shared visibility, so discussions are grounded in the same information, and they create touchpoints between meetings, keeping clients engaged.

But this only works if advisers actively integrate the platform into their client relationships, rather than treating it as a separate layer.

Small changes can have meaningful impact

Meeting younger clients’ expectations doesn’t require complete overhaul. Introducing the platform early and framing it as part of the advice journey, not an add-on, is imperative. Platforms should be used collaboratively in meetings, so clients build confidence navigating them independently. Communications should also align with what clients see online to ensure consistency. Finally, be open to embracing different communication styles, such as video, messaging, and shorter, more frequent check-ins.

These are relatively small shifts, but they can significantly change how clients perceive the relationship.

The opportunity ahead

The next generation of clients isn’t on the horizon – it’s already here. Many are building wealth, making complex decisions, and actively seeking advice.

For advisers, the question isn’t whether to adapt, but how quickly. The technology exists and continues to evolve rapidly. The real differentiator will be how advisers choose to use it in service of client relationships.

Ultimately, younger clients aren’t asking for less advice, or less human interaction. They’re asking for advice that fits into their world – seamlessly, transparently, and authentically.

By Emmanuelle Mure, head of platform relationships at RBC Brewin Dolphin