Financial Times votes Innes Reid ‘top of the shop’ for second time!

We are delighted to report that we have secured top spot, for the second time, by the Financial Times Adviser, a national publication associated with the Financial Times, when it carried out a mystery shopper survey in Chester.

Each week the mystery shopper seeks advice from independent and tied advisers in the UK and gathers specific information to find out and report on the quality and service across a range of areas, including customer experience, knowledge of financial products and regulatory compliance.

It is only intended to appraise the first interaction with a company, accepting that further meetings would be necessary, and is a positive way to highlight any strengths and weaknesses in the advice offered, rather than to expose poor selling practices.

The shopper contacted four companies in Chester and pretended to represent a young couple who were looking to secure a mortgage to buy a two-bedroomed home.

We had no prior knowledge of the mystery call and scored a magnificent 34/35!

The shopper commented that our adviser who handled the call, Craig Kennedy, gave “comprehensive explanations to his questions, to be helpful, and appreciated his insight into current market trends”.

Craig has been an independent financial adviser with Innes Reid for 11 years and has experience in all areas of financial planning. He is known for his honest, straight-talking approach, technical knowledge, and eye for detail.

The last time Chester was the chosen area was November 2012, when the mystery shopper “sort advice on equity release for his retired parents” – a subject that is very topical at the moment following the new pension freedom rules that came in to effect in April. We secured the top spot on that occasion too, with advice given by Darren Crane.

Managing Director, Mark Reidford said: “We are absolutely delighted to have scored so highly in the FT Adviser mystery shopper survey and, for a second time to be ranked number one in the Chester area. Seeking the right advice and support on financial matters is very important, as it can be life-changing. The review endorses everything we try to do here for our customers. Helping them to secure their financial future without exposing them to unnecessary risks.”

To read the full article visit FT Adviser here.