There’s a shift happening in the market that doesn’t show up on a ticker or in an earnings report, but it does show up in how people feel. For years, large national chains built their advantage on scale: bigger footprints, more locations, tighter systems, and greater efficiency. And for a long time, that worked. It made things faster, cheaper, and more accessible; better, right? But somewhere along the way, experience/pleasantness got lost in the processes.
People Remember How You Made Them Feel
You can see it in something as simple as a night at the movies (if you still attend theaters!) The massive, overbuilt theater chains that really hit a boom from the mid-90s to mid-2000s often feel transactional now. All the kiosks are self-serve and charmless. There are long lines, inflated prices, and very little sense that anyone is actually hosting you.
Now, compare that to a smaller, independently-run historic theater, like The Coolidge in Brookline. The theater is beloved by a large community because you can tell people care about every detail, from the exhibition to the programming to the person serving the popcorn; it means more to them to be a part of that non-profit; they’re not just a number to a large chain. That difference matters more than people realize – it’s not all about price nor marketing efforts.
Rewarding Connection, Not Convenience
People/markets are starting to reward businesses that create connection, not just convenience. When a business makes you feel known and cared for, you go back. Not once, but over and over again. That kind of loyalty compounds over time in a way that no marketing campaign can replicate. Think about where you choose to spend your money.
It might be the hardware store where someone helps you find the right ice melt that won’t hurt your dog’s paws (yes, this happened to me recently), or the grocery store where you can still ask a real person a question and get a real answer.
During a desperate afternoon of calling places like Market Basket and Lowe’s in an ice storm, I had no luck getting anyone to answer the phone; they either didn’t know whether they had the ice melt I needed in stock or simply weren’t motivated enough to care and get me an answer. I was finally treated well by a clerk at a smaller hardware store who was happy to answer my questions about their stock. Those small moments stick in the psyche, and they influence where you go next time.
Scale Creates Efficiency, But It Can Also Create Distance
The same dynamic is playing out in financial services. Large national advisory platforms have scale, systems, and call centers designed to handle thousands of clients efficiently. But with that scale often comes distance and a lack of humanity.
Think about when markets get volatile, or life gets complicated, people don’t want to feel like they’re entering a queue to be heard. They want a conversation with someone who already understands their situation, not someone starting from zero. That’s where personalized financial planning stands apart from the big, national financial institutions.
Personalized Financial Planning – Trust Is Built in the Small Interactions
There’s a saying I come back to often: people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. That applies everywhere! As a family financial planner, my client conversations happen during stressful and uncertain times, not when everything is cheery. My clients expect presence and guidance when things are tough, not just during the times of joy.
When someone feels heard, they’re less likely to make emotional/reactive decisions. They’re more likely to stay disciplined. They’re more likely to trust the plan, and over time, that leads to better outcomes.
What I’ve Worked to Build
At Thrive, what I’ve always tried to build is a balance between technology and human connection.
Technology matters, and it’s great to use it as a tool. It improves efficiency, organization, and access to information. But it should support the relationship and not aim to replace it. Because no platform can replace a conversation, and no slick app can fully capture context. None of these things can replicate the trust that I build with my clients, up and down their multi-generational family trees.
Personalized Financial Planning – The Market Is Quietly Voting
Customer experience isn’t just a feel-good idea; it’s something the market is actively reinforcing. Customer experience isn’t just an earnings-report buzzword. It’s a real driver of where people spend their money and trust. And you know what, it’s always been that way! People gravitate toward environments where they feel understood. And whether it’s choosing where to shop, where to go, or who to work with financially, that feeling tends to matter more than anything else.
I’m always happy to hear your goals, stories, and financial plans for the future.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
This information is not intended to be a substitute for individualized legal advice. Please consult your legal advisor regarding your specific situation.
