PLANADVISER - September/October 2020 - 32

practice management
cross talk gets significantly reduced.
" People have just sort of learned that they can't talk
over each other, so the content gets delivered much more
efficiently, from a time perspective, " Hilbrant says. " It's
probably taken a third of the total time out of meetings. "
You can reduce time further by paring back your
agenda. If there are topics you want to share but that need
no discussion, include them as " read-only " items in the
materials you send in advance, Hilbrant says. For particularly
complicated subjects, consider breaking one hour's
worth of material into two 30-minute meetings.
Choose Other Ways to Connect
While the lack of small talk makes for efficient meetings,
it may also have a detrimental impact on relationships
you have built with clients. When you no longer have
a chance to ask anyone about their kids or what they did
over the weekend, it is harder to feel connected to them on
a personal level.
" The committee meetings, and the participants I've
gotten to know over the years have been a highlight of my
career, " Hilbrant says. " I miss those things, and I can't wait
to get back to that. "
In the meantime, Hilbrant says, he has been making
phone calls to his closest contacts before sending over plan
documents ahead of a meeting. He uses the calls to give
the contacts a heads-up to expect the material, but also as
an opportunity to check in and see how they are.
Rausser says he recently attended a virtual networking
event at a virtual conference in which he was speaking.
" It was interesting, " he says. " It was like when you get to a
speaking engagement a few minutes early to see who's in
the room before you get up to the podium. "
Be Creative About Participant Meetings
Advisers who conduct meetings directly with plan participants
should take their lead from the plan sponsor in terms
of how to structure presentations. Along with virtual meetings
with participants, Hilbrant says, he also has clients
who still want meetings held in person.
To do that in the age of social distancing, Hilbrant
meets participants in a conference room while they are
both wearing masks. Hilbrant will sit with his computer at
one end of the room, while the participant views a separate
laptop at the other end.
" It depends on what the employer's rules are about
having visitors in, " he says. " Some employers want you to
come in, and others aren't back to work, or they're back to
work but don't want anyone from the outside to come in. "
Get Used to It
One thing that the last six months have taught advisers is
that the virtual meeting is here to stay. The savings-in
both money and time-that accrue from meeting virtually
when meeting otherwise would have required a two- or
three-day business trip are significant.
" With travel time reduced, we've been able to be even
more flexible with scheduling meetings and can move
faster on post-meeting action items, " Mehta says.
Virtual meetings are also convenient for busy executives
and plan committees whose members are geographically
distant.
" It's definitely something we're all going to continue
doing for a lot longer than we expected, " Rausser says. " It
has opened up a whole new world and a new way of doing
business, quite honestly. It's actually worked pretty well. "
That experience, shared by many advisers, has many
of them looking for ways to improve their virtual offerings
even more.
When Milan realized that virtual meetings were not
going anywhere, he upgraded his office conference room
with a 60-inch wall-mount television connected to a microphone
and camera.
" We noticed a significant difference in how the conversations
would go, once we set that up, " he says. " It's more
formal, you're in the office setting, and it feels like more of
a presentation. "
According to Mehta, " We continue to invest thoughtfully
in technology solutions that will enhance our participant
experience and enable us to better serve our plan
sponsors. While the pandemic forced everyone to navigate
an electronic environment, we've embraced the change
and are committed to providing our excellent service in
any environment. " -Beth Braverman
BE READY
* Connect via desktop or laptop.
* Tablets, such as iPads and ChromeBooks, and phones
limit some of the functionality and make contributing
via video a challenge.
* Show up ready for a professional meeting. If your
camera is on, assume everyone can see you even if
you can't see yourself.
* Test your equipment in advance. Close all other apps,
internet browser tabs and/or windows on your computer.
* Check to make sure your light source is in front of you for
video so you are well-lit. Facing a window is a great start.
* Consider your background; remove clutter or distractions.
* If you don't have a separate web camera, try to raise
your computer's camera to eye level. (A few books can
do the job.)
* Connect with an ethernet cable plugged into your
modem, if possible.
* Use earbuds or a headset to limit any echo in the room.
* Turn off computer notifications and sound-generating
devices such as phones or loud fans.
Source: ShoeFitts Marketing
32 | planadviser.com September-October 2020
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