Onboarding a client is only the beginning of a successful technology partnership. For Katie Terry, Managing Director of Client Experience for SS&C Black Diamond® Wealth Solutions, it comes down to knowing what matters to each client and being there to help.
In this edition of our Five Questions With series, Katie shares how conversations, collaboration, and ongoing support define the Black Diamond client experience.
You’ve been at Black Diamond for more than 15 years. What first brought you here, and what has kept you here?
After a couple years working in financial services and earning my MBA, I was still looking for the right fit. Black Diamond introduced me to the intersection of financial services and technology, and I quickly realized it was exactly where I wanted to be.
What’s kept me here are the people I work with and the challenges I help solve. I’m energized by working alongside colleagues who bring different backgrounds and perspectives yet share a common passion for helping our clients succeed.
You oversee the client journey from implementation through ongoing product use. What have you identified as the most critical moments for building strong client relationships?
Every client’s journey is different, so taking the time to understand what success looks like for a firm is critical. Through thoughtful discovery, we uncover their priorities, pain points, and timelines. We then align our approach around what matters most to their business.
Then, it’s about staying connected as their needs change, being available when questions come up, and continuing to help them reach their goals.
How do you balance delivering a consistent implementation experience while tailoring the process to each client’s needs?
Each implementation has the same fundamental building blocks and key milestones, which gives us a consistent framework for delivering a positive experience.
We then adjust timing, cadence, and sequencing to fit each client’s needs. For example, breakaway advisors may prioritize billing and the client experience early in the implementation process. Our teams understand these nuances and can adapt project plans, while maintaining the structure and best practices that lead to a successful implementation.
As wealth management firms’ expectations of technology providers have evolved, how has the definition of a great client experience changed?
Expectations have shifted from viewing us as a vendor to seeing us as partners. Clients expect us to understand both our technology and their business, as well as the broader wealth management landscape. They’re looking to us for best practices and asking, “What are firms like mine doing?”
This shift has made the client experience more consultative, which is where our team really thrives. We enjoy engaging with clients to understand their workflows, identifying opportunities to improve their processes, and helping them get more value from our technology.
Adoption is as important as implementation for realizing a technology platform’s value. What have you learned about helping firms ensure their teams actively use their new technology?
Adoption is not one-size-fits-all. Different users within a firm interact with our platform in different ways, so we work with our clients to understand their user groups and tailor the training experience.
Equally important, adoption doesn't end at rollout. We provide ongoing training and resources to help users build confidence and apply what they’ve learned to their day-to-day work.
With nearly two decades in the industry, Katie has witnessed significant changes in technology, firms, and client expectations. Through it all, the importance of listening to clients, understanding their needs, and finding ways to help them succeed remains unchanged. This perspective continues to guide how Katie and her team approach each relationship, from the first conversation through the years that follow.
Ready to see how SS&C Black Diamond Wealth Solutions can help your firm scale smarter, serve clients better, and grow with confidence? Request a personalized demo, call 1-800-727-0605, or email info@sscblackdiamond.com today.
