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How the Best Fintech Tools Make Financial Advisory Firms More Human
By Derek Notman, CFP®
There’s a beautiful irony in today’s fintech boom: the smartest tools out there aren’t replacing human advisors—they’re making us more human. Sounds like something a charming AI assistant would say to earn your trust, right? But stick with me. This isn’t a Black Mirror (think Twilight Zone) episode. It’s the playbook for how great tech unlocks more empathy, more wisdom, and more real human connection in financial advisory firms.
I come at this from a unique perspective. I was a top producer at New York Life for almost 16 years. Then I went fully independent with my own RIA and dropped my insurance licenses, all while also starting my fintech company, Couplr AI. Call me a recovering advisor turned fintech founder!
Let’s talk about firms learning from the multitude of fintech platforms. These aren't the robo-advisor holdouts from 2010. These are forward-thinking teams using technology not to hide behind but to lean in. They’re scrubbing the admin gunk from their days so they can spend more time being the empathetic, strategic, thoughtful professionals clients actually hire them to be.
Fintech as a Human Multiplier
Advisors are pulled in a lot of directions: sales, marketing, prospecting, planning, backoffice, service work, social media, website, etc. Add to this that they have multiple roles where they end up knowing more about a client than their attorney, accountant, priest, and therapist all together and next thing you know it’s not crazy to wonder why so many advisors feel overwhelmed. When your day is buried in paperwork, document chasing, or back-and-forth scheduling emails, how are you supposed to show up with that human magic—the very thing your clients desire more than anything from you?
Smart fintech can help us solve that problem. Systems designed to flag behavior shifts, highlight important dates, or suggest timely check-ins aren't about automation for its own sake—they're about preserving the human touch. These tools act like a digital whisper: “Hey, this client needs you.” Tech also can help with a lot of the behind the scenes work that needs to get done and can be very time consuming, thus allowing advisors to focus more on advice engagement instead of advice disorientation.
Choosing Tech That Enhances, Not Replaces
Here’s the golden question when evaluating tech: Does this make us more human? If it doesn't, you're buying a shiny brick.
A quick gut-check guide:
- Does it reduce administrative noise? If it gives you back hours for meaningful client conversations, that’s a win.
- Does it proactively surface insights? You want tools that think ahead, not just organize the past.
- Does it personalize at scale? Mass personalization sounds like an oxymoron but the right tech makes it real.
- Can your team actually use it? If it takes a data science bootcamp to run, it’s going to sit on the shelf.
- Does it turn cold outbound into warm inbound? Changing the flow of client acquisition from cold to warm makes all the difference.
Integration Without the Headache
Here’s the hard truth: the best tech in the world is useless if no one uses it. Here’s how top firms are integrating the right fintech tools without pulling out their hair:
- Lead with real problems. Don’t chase the next hot platform. Start with your biggest operational headaches and match tech accordingly.
- Run smart pilots. Start small, track results, and create a fast feedback loop. Treat your team like beta testers, not guinea pigs.
- Train with context. Don't just teach “what.” Teach “why.” Link training directly to your firm’s mission and how it deepens your client relationships.
- Build for iteration. Integration isn’t a one-and-done project. Treat it like gardening: regular care, pruning, and patience.
Chart: The Tech-Human Impact Scale
| Fintech Feature | Human Benefit |
| Inbound lead gen | Personality alignment for better client-advisor connection |
| Automated scheduling | More time for meaningful conversations |
| Behavior tracking | Timely, relevant client outreach |
| Insight dashboards | Personalized advice, faster |
| Document automation | Less admin, more strategic thinking |
The Payoff: Depth at Scale
We’re living in an era of endless automation—AI-generated emails, bots that sound vaguely human, and enough “personalized” LinkedIn spam to crash your inbox daily. But here’s the kicker: the more tech floods the market, the more people crave genuine, human connection.
Although some business is won through perfectly optimized funnels, the majority of business is won through human connection. It’s won through trust. Through real conversations. Through advisors who remember birthdays, who ask about your kids, who show up when it matters. Fintech, when chosen wisely, creates space for those moments. Cold emails can’t compete with authentic relationships—and they never will.
Think about the people and companies that have done business with you—were the majority of them the result of cold, spammy outreach or warm referrals and genuine human connection?
Fintech done right doesn’t just save time. It gives you more of you to give. That means more meaningful conversations, more strategic planning, more empathy per hour. And you don’t have to trade that depth for reach.
Firms exploring fintech tools like Asset-Map, Bento Engine, Couplr AI, and a plethora of other great solutions are discovering new ways to scale without losing the soul of their service. Tech clears the noise so advisors can focus on the signal: clients' real lives, their hopes, dreams, goals, and anxieties.
Bottom line: Skynet isn’t taking over. The future isn’t robo-vs-human. It’s tech for humans, and firms that get that will lead the next generation of advisory excellence.
So before you add another tool to your stack, ask yourself this: Will it help us show up more thoughtfully, more often, and more human?
If not, maybe it’s time to upgrade your toolbox—with empathy in mind.
I send positive vibes your way.
Derek Notman, CFP® has been in financial services for 20 years as an advisor, teacher, and fintech CEO. Make sure to connect with him on LinkedIn and learn more about how he and his team are helping advisors succeed with Couplr AI.
image credit: Adobe Stock Images
