Adviser optimism on the up

IFAs are more confident on the state of the financial services sector than they were this time last year, according to a new survey from Ascentric.

More than two-thirds of respondents said they were more positive about the sector, indicating a growing sense of optimism in the ability of advisers to handle the degree of change taking place in the industry as a result of RDR.

A further 88 per cent of IFAs said they were confident about the future direction of their business.

The survey suggested they still need convincing that social media is an effective method of broadening their reach; however, with 37 per cent of their audience saying they don’t use tools such as Facebook or Twitter to reach clients, they may have a point.

Steve Billingham of Steve Billingham Consulting said: "This survey demonstrates that [IFAs] see themselves as survivors, rather than victims, of RDR."

Dominic Ventham, head of marketing at Ascentric added: "Change is inevitable under RDR and these findings indicate a growing level of confidence that advisers can use this time as an opportunity to refresh and revitalise their business. It also suggests a real belief that their value propositions will hold up in a fee-paying world despite the difficult market conditions."