Count Financial adds digital SOA capability to adviser network

Count Financial has approved DASH Technology Group's (DASH) software suite, including its digital SOA capability — DynamicDocs — for its adviser network.

Count Financial's head of licensee systems, Reg Gabila, said the capabilities will assist in both providing efficiencies for its advisers and improving the client experience.

“As a licensee that’s focused on innovative ways to improve the advice delivery process, this introduction will create positive outcomes for our advisers and their clients," Mr Gabila said.

"DASH’s solutions are not only innovative, but its connectivity ethos will also provide our advisers more flexibility and choice.”

DASH CEO Andrew Whelan added that the advice software and platform solutions provider is "thrilled" to be working with Count Financial and its advisers.

The move comes only weeks after Count Financial recruited Adelaide-based Moore Wealth Advisers to its national community of advisers, having already recruited 57 new advisers in 2022.

Meanwhile, on a recent episode of the ifa Show podcast, Mr Whelan said he believes talk around implementing a digital SoA is a genuine reality and that the technology is “already there”.

“Any Word document can be converted to a piece of software that an adviser can present more in a more engaging fashion,” Mr Whelan said.

“When it's digital, you can time how long people are in certain sections. So, there's all these extra compliance features that a Word document won't give you. It gives you version control if you make changes. You can have in room chat, like an SOA chat room, so you don't have to be there and then if you make changes, it updates.”

The SOA has been a contentious talking point in the industry for some time; founder and CEO of WOW Women’s Group Tracey Sofra recently slammed the SOA process as “horrendous” and “a complete waste of time”.

Last year, the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) revealed it was working on a digital SOA alongside ASIC that would “effectively have no paper involved at all”.

Listen to the full podcast with Mr Whelan here.

Neil Griffiths

Neil is the Deputy Editor of the wealth titles, including ifa and InvestorDaily.

Neil is also the host of the ifa show podcast.