Common gaps in tech client-provider trust

A striking disconnect exists between what we as advisers think clients value and what clients actually care about. This UK data mirrors the challenges we face in Australian advice: The biggest perception gaps: While advisers rank "peace of mind" as their top value driver (~70%), only about 20% of clients prioritise this We think we're valued for understanding unique needs, but clients rate this significantly lower Advisers significantly overestimate the importance of technical explanations and financial concept communication What Clients Actually Value: Having a good reputation Demonstrating ability to save money Clear fee structures Return maximisation This data suggests we need to realign our service propositions. While we focus heavily on the emotional and relationship aspects, clients appear more focused on tangible outcomes and practical deliverables. Of course, this can be explained by: Professional bias—overvaluing technical and emotional aspects because advisors are immersed in this daily. Client experience gap—clients can't see behind the veil only the tangible, suggesting explaining this is critical. Professional identity challenge: advisors see themselves as counsellors, but clients see technical service providers Other industries face these challenges: healthcare, legal, and software development. These industries deal with these challenges in this way: Implement measurable outcome tracking Create tangible value scorecards Develop hybrid pricing models Regular value demonstration touchpoints Digital tools for progress visualisation The common thread across successful solutions is creating systematic ways to demonstrate value in terms clients naturally understand and appreciate. The solution appears to lie in better alignment of three key elements: Value Communication The profession needs to bridge better the gap between: Technical excellence (which clients expect but don't emotionally value) Relationship quality (which advisers overvalue) Tangible outcomes (which clients actively seek) Service Model Evolution Serving two masters: A relationship-based service wrapper A transaction-based delivery system We should evolve towards an integrated professional service model where: A technical competency foundation Measurable & transparent outcomes Relationships enhance rather than define the value proposition Professional Identity The future lies not in abandoning relationship skills or doubling down on technical aspects alone, but in creating a new professional paradigm where: Value is demonstrated through measurable client outcomes Technical excellence is assumed rather than celebrated Relationship skills facilitate rather than substitute for professional value In essence, the profession needs to mature beyond the false dichotomy of technical vs. relationship-based service to create a new model where both elements serve to deliver and demonstrate clear client value. #financialadvice #financialadvisors #superannuation

If #trust isn’t automatic, how can #digital #financial #service #providers earn it? It starts by seeing #MSMEs not as “users to onboard” but as businesses navigating real risks, real trade-offs, and real constraints. And trust, in this context, is more about practice than promise. What does that look like in reality? It means spelling things out. Loan terms, costs, repayment schedules—without jargon or ambiguity. Many MSEs don’t lack the appetite for credit. What they lack is clarity on how it works, what it costs, and what to expect if they miss a payment. It means moving beyond default design. When products are shaped with digitally savvy consumers in mind, micro and small businesses often get left behind. But when design is tailored—voice prompts instead of only text, workflows that match business rhythms—trust begins to form. It also means addressing what we’d rather not talk about: collections. Stories of digital lenders scraping contacts or resorting to public shaming aren’t rare. Rebuilding credibility requires clear, fair, and humane collections practices. Not just for PR—but for people. Trust doesn’t grow from technology. It grows from consistency, respect, and a deep understanding of why MSMEs might be wary in the first place. And perhaps most of all, it grows when providers act less like gatekeepers, and more like partners. #MSMEFinance #SMEFinanceGap #AccessToFinance #DigitalFinance #FinancialInclusion #SubSaharanAfrica #InformalEconomy #DevelopmentFinance #InclusiveFinance #FutureOfFinance #SubjectMatterExpert #PersonalDevelopment

Your prospect didn't ghost you because you didn’t follow up. They ghosted you because they never trusted you in the first place. Let that sink in. You didn't lose them in the inbox. You lost them in the call. That moment when they said “Let me think about it”? What they meant was: “I’m not convinced that you’re the right person.” Not convinced you’ll deliver. Not convinced it’ll work for them. Not convinced the risk is worth it. And no number of follow-ups can fix that. Fix the trust gap instead. Here’s how: • ↳ Do fewer calls. Pre-qualify better. Get the right people on the call. • ↳ Show you know them. Reflect their pain with deep clarity. They should feel “This person gets me.” • ↳ Share proof early. Make trust flow before the pitch. Client wins, screenshots, testimonials. • ↳ Ask tough questions. Not just “what’s the goal?” but also “What have you already tried that didn’t work?” • ↳ Be real. Talk about risks. Don’t over-promise. Honesty builds confidence. • ↳ Share HOW you’ll help. Not the whole strategy. Just enough to prove you have one. • ↳ Connect the dots. Show them the path from today’s pain to tomorrow’s result. • ↳ Own the outcome. Say “Here’s where you’ll be if we work together” with confidence. You win trust before you win clients. Stop blaming follow-ups. Start building belief. Ever got ghosted after a “great call”? Tell me honestly—what do you think went wrong?

Getting coffee with an SVP of Marketing. He tells me: “We don’t even look at vendor numbers anymore. I don't trust them with my job.”  His frustration isn't unique - I've seen countless brands ignore great campaign results simply because they didn't trust the data. As marketers, you can close this trust gap with three simple steps: 1. Get aligned on your measurement methodology When partners don’t understand how you measure results, everyone’s guessing. "We define success using ___ framework (MMM, Incrementality, MTA) and use ___ metrics (CAC, LTV, ROAS). NOT ___." 2. Make measuring success a shared language The best partnerships are built on transparency and correlation. We ask clients to take the padlock off their internal metrics. And in return, we don’t position our numbers as THE source of truth, but A source of truth. 3. Find the correlation, not the match If our numbers don’t match, we find the connection. Are trends moving in the same direction? Does a 4x lift in our data translate to a 2x improvement in your internal model? That connection is gold. Bottom line: The goal isn't winning the attribution debate. It's getting closer to the truth that drives real business results. What's your experience with the vendor-marketer trust gap? Has your organization found ways to bridge it?

“We’ve been burned before.” I hear that line more often than I’d like. And every time I do, I get it. Because behind that sentence is a story of promises made, budgets blown, deadlines missed, and a team that ghosted halfway through.   Here’s the thing: most clients don’t come to us with zero knowledge. They come with battle scars. And hesitation. And a list of “never agains.”   That’s why I handle these conversations differently.   -> I listen first. Not just to the tech brief but to what went wrong last time. What they hoped for. What they’re afraid will happen again.   -> I make it human. We talk about timelines, sure. But also trust. Collaboration. Ownership. Things that don’t show up on a project tracker but make or break delivery. -> I stay real. If something will take 12 weeks, I won’t say 6. If the budget needs to be higher to meet the vision, I say that up front. Because building trust starts with clarity. At DITS, we don’t just fix code. We fix broken confidence. And that starts by not pretending the past didn’t happen. Ever had to rebuild trust after a project went wrong? What helped you make that call again? #clienttrust #projectrecovery #softwaredevelopment #techpartnership #buildingtrust #realtalktech #honestconversations #ditsinnovations #transparencymatters #collaborationculture #owntheprocess #rebuildingconfidence #listenfirst #humanfirsttech #trusttheprocess #dits #ditstek #ditstekinnovations

Ever feel like your client is breathing down your neck? Endless check-ins. Constant edits. That “just looping back again…” email for the third time this week. It’s tempting to chalk it up to them being 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵. But here’s the harder truth: Micromanagement is often a sign of 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵. When a client starts hovering, it’s usually not because they want to be involved in every detail—it’s because they’re no longer confident in the process, in your work, or in the partnership. It’s like an early warning sign: ⚠️ They’re wondering if you’re really in control. ⚠️ They’re anxious about timing or quality. ⚠️ They’re unsure you 𝘨𝘦𝘵 what they need. And by the time the micromanaging shows up? Yeah…the trust erosion has already started. What can you do? ✅Get proactive—communicate early and often about progress, risks, and next steps. ✅Clarify expectations—ensure you’re aligned on what matters most. ✅Show empathy—acknowledge their concerns, and demonstrate you’re on top of things. ✅Reflect—ask yourself if there was a missed promise or a slip in quality that might have triggered their behavior. Because if your client feels the need to micromanage, it’s not just about them. It’s a reflection of a trust gap—and that’s your cue to close it. ---------------------------------------------- ♻️ Repost to share with your network 🏅 Follow Tracy LaLonde for more insights.