Earlier this year, we paused to ask ourselves an important question: here at Stephan Independent Advisory, are we truly living up to our promise?
We often talk about trust, about understanding families, and about doing things differently. But when it came to finding out whether we were truly walking the walk, we needed feedback from the people who matter most – our clients.
We invited them to take part in a 2025 Global Client Study – an independent survey designed to understand how advice really impacts lives, in which fifty-three people shared their generous and honest feedback.
The results were both humbling and affirming. They reinforced that the values our father, Magdy, passed down to us – care, responsibility and a focus on family – are not just ideals we speak about, but principles our clients genuinely experience.
At the highest level, the survey results confirmed that trust sits at the heart of our relationships.
Our Net Promoter Score came in at 83 – well above the Australian adviser average. This is a clear sign that the way we work resonates and that our focus on long-term relationships, clarity and care is being felt where it counts.
At a glance, here’s what stood out from our Global Client Study:
– Clients rated our service with a Net Promoter Score of 83, well above the Australian adviser average
– 8 in 10 said their financial affairs have significantly improved since working with us
– Communication clarity was rated 9.5/10, with responsiveness at 9.8/10
– 77.4% said advice aligned with family values is essential to them
But numbers only tell part of the story. What mattered more to me was why those results exist.
To understand that, we grouped the findings into four themes – what we call the Four Cs: Competence, Convenience, Coaching and Continuity.
Competence: confidence built over time
One of the strongest messages was how much clients value knowing their financial affairs are being managed with discipline and care. 62.3% of clients said investment selection and monitoring were the most valuable parts of our work, while 43% valued our approach to asset allocation and rebalancing.
Competence can sound technical, but in practice it’s deeply personal. It’s the calm that comes from knowing decisions are deliberate, strategies are explained clearly and nothing is left to chance. Multiple clients spoke about the confidence they feel knowing their finances are structured thoughtfully to support their family over time.
Convenience: advice that feels human
If competence earns trust, convenience helps sustain it.
Clients consistently told us they value personalised service and proactive contact above all else. Our responsiveness was rated 9.8 out of 10, and communication clarity 9.5 out of 10 – results that reflect something we care deeply about: being present.
Advice shouldn’t feel distant or difficult to engage with. These responses reminded us that what matters most isn’t the complexity behind the scenes, but the relationship itself – knowing support is there, questions are anticipated, and communication is clear and timely.
Coaching: confidence replaces anxiety
This section resonated with me personally. Education has always been central to how we work – a value instilled by our father, whose life’s work focused on helping others understand complex ideas.
Since working with us, 64.2% of clients reported a significant improvement in their understanding of finances and the same number felt less anxious about the future, while 58.5% said their confidence in decision-making had increased.
Good advice doesn’t just organise finances – it replaces uncertainty with understanding, and stress with clarity. That’s one of the most meaningful outcomes we can hope for.
Continuity: values that endure
Finally, continuity – the idea that financial advice should protect not just wealth, but values, relationships and legacy.
77.4% of clients told us that having advice aligned with family values is essential – well above the profession average of 41.6%. Many also highlighted the importance of spousal involvement and engaging the next generation.
These responses were genuinely heartwarming, and affirmed what has always been at the core of our work: treating families as a whole, planning for life’s changes, and ensuring intentions are understood across generations.
Thank you
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who took part in the survey. Your feedback reminds us that financial advice is about far more than reports and returns – it’s about clarity, confidence, family, and continuity.
If you’d like to explore the findings in more depth, we invite you to read the full Client Satisfaction Report. And if you know someone who would feel at home with the way we work, we’d love to be introduced.
Thank you for your trust, and for being part of our story.
Joe Stephan
