After completing eight acquisitions in eight years, we spoke to Alteris Financial Group about the tools, technology and principles they rely on to successfully scale.
Alteris Financial Group is on a growth trajectory. Since 2016, the firm has acquired one financial planning business a year, expanding its wealth, accounting, care and lifestyle services along the east coast.
A priority for the firm as it grows is to ensure new clients have a smooth onboarding experience, and existing clients continue to receive the level of service they’ve come to expect. That’s why the firm is investing: in its technology, in its teams, and in its operations.
Front and centre is the client services team, led by Himalti Maharaj. She says while “no two days ever look the same,” creating efficiency is consistently in focus.
“Client services operates across the whole group – we provide support across all our divisions,” says Himalti. “Efficiency is key to delivering consistent, high-quality service."
Spotlight on: efficiency
Himalti's team has a busy and broad remit, from administration through to supporting clients and advisers directly with their queries and reporting needs.
With the largest team in the group, Himalti relies on scalable and simple digital services to both manage her day-to-day and ensure her team is evolving in lockstep with the firm’s growing portfolio.
She and her team are open to and focused on new ways of working, new tools and new technology that can improve their productivity – ultimately giving them more time to focus on creating exceptional client experiences.
Macquarie’s live chat, launched in 2024, is one example. Himalti says the initial roll out of live chat had its challenges, which they fed back to Macquarie.
“We felt like our concerns and our frustrations were taken on board, and then moving forward, we saw a noticeable change,” says Himalti.
“Live chat plays a key role in our practice now. It's resolving our simple questions in a really quick turnaround time. We don’t have to queue for calls and there’s no delay in waiting for emails,” she adds.
Himalti and her team value the real-time support of live chat, as it translates through to quicker and more comprehensive client servicing.
“Another great thing is we get a transcript now, which we treat as our file note, and use from a compliance perspective,” she adds. "It's really made our workflow efficient.”
“We’ve got answers on what the next steps are going to be, in writing, and we can share with the client confidently what has been discussed with Macquarie.”
Spotlight on: security
For Himalti and the firm, there is no scaling without security. It is embedded in operations, processes and the selection criteria for the partners they work with and technology they use.
“Security is as important to our clients as it is to us,” says Himalti. “It has always been a priority and it is becoming more of a focus for us as we grow.”
Himalti values technology and solutions that are a step ahead when it comes to security, given that scammers and fraudsters are actively searching for new ways to target Australians.
She feels live chat is a more secure option for her team than phone and email. In addition, introducing Macquarie Authenticator for adviser-initiated payments gives Himalti and her team confidence that their clients are protected by purpose-built technology.
“We feel that to manage financial information, it’s so important to have that additional layer of security, so it’s a really positive step,” Himalti says.
“There were some challenges in the beginning, with some clients being less comfortable than others in using a digital tool,” she says. “Now, they all understand why it’s happening, and we’ve got confidence that the security of our clients’ accounts is really well embedded in our processes.”
Stay focused on the end goal
Through its series of acquisitions and cycles of onboarding and integrating, the Alteris team has fine-tuned its process for change management to ensure it’s both getting through the daily work and laying the right foundations for the firm’s future.
“I think with change management it is really important to be clear on your end goal,” says Himalti. “It’s about bringing the right people along on the journey to get the right end outcome.”
This is an attitude and ethos Himalti takes now, and will into the future, as the firm grows in the market, with the support of partners like Macquarie.
“We are investing in technology and looking forward to the next phase of our growth,” says Himalti. “And we are excited about what the technology roadmap for Macquarie looks like.”
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