Sunday, October 26, 2008

Creating Value-Added Services in Growing Financial Planning Practices (4Qs Thought) पार्ट 1

Financial planning is a BIG PUZZLE Scientific Word for normal man on the street. Everyone knows the important of financial planning but not many follow through due to lack of in deep knowledge, skill and execution power. Many of the financial services professional such as insurance agents, unit trust consultants, accountants, bankers etc also claiming as “financial planner” or “financial advisor” to take advantage of polishing up their image even this is strictly under regulated framework by SC and BNM.

As whole, financial services firms everywhere have undergone major changes over the last several decades. The firm includes investment banking, asset management, trust institutional, insurance, commercial banks, takaful, securities broker, mortgage brokers etc. Financial planning is a new, exciting and growing industry in Malaysia. Finance is an important aspect of our life. You work so hard to earn money so it becomes our duty to manage our finances well. You can manage your finances through a proper financial planning and financial solutions. This is wealth management and it involves financial planning by utilizing various financial instruments of insurance, unit trust, stock, real estate, personal banking, asset management, estate planning, offshore planning legal resources and others investment resources.

Financial service is a very competitive industry. As a financial service provider, what does creating value mean to you in your business? How do you deliver value to client? How to be the best in your practice? To grow our respective practices, we have to distinguish ourselves from the competition as common named as your Blue Ocean Strategy in your practices.

So what make you different? Why are you special? You design life plans. You create relationship and trust. You do base on the need of your customers. You share from your experience and education. You understand a little stuff that makes a difference. You have the ability to communicate clearly without confusing. You integrate the big picture and accomplish this without losing sight of objectives. You light up other live.

Time is money. Each of you is a very valuable economic enterprise. You are in an era where creative ideas and energy flow with the speed of light worldwide. How do you compete in this new quicker, faster market place? You compete by taking responsibility for your professional lives.

How do you do that? There are 4 questions of thought (4 Qs) that you as an advisor have to address:
1. Who are you?
2. What do you do?
3. Whom do you serve?
4. How do you deliver value?

2009年财政预算案褒贬不一(下)

2008年是考验政府的一年,308大选、826补选的冲击,以及超过6%的通货膨胀,都一再挑战政府的管理能力。在通货膨胀时期,人民会感到生活艰难,都是因为在薪水不变、物价却越来越高之下,每个月都必须花费比之前更多的钱。

为了舒缓通货膨胀对人民所带来的影响,2009年财政预算案注重个人多于商家,政府选择解决短期问题多于制定长期的经济计划。这可从政府缩减个人所得税率、增加贫穷家庭的福利金补贴、取消或减少食品和日用品入口税等看出。

其实就算有税务回扣,若个人的收入没有增加,那也无助于人民对抗通膨。只有在收入增加的同时,个人才有更多的可支配收入去进行消费,进而促进本地的经济。否则,大家都是能省则省,各行业的生意依然没有起色。

至于如何提升人民的收入,一些国家是通过降低中低收入阶层的税收率,以帮助他们累积更多的财富。有些国家则是通过制订一些有利于人民的政策、塑造一个开放的投资环境,以吸引外国投资者等,去推动该国的经济。

此外,一个国家的人民富不富有,也要看该国人民的素质。在全球化之下,公司与公司之间、国家与国家之间的竞争也越来越激烈。因此,我们必须不断提升个人的知识、扩大个人的思维与视野,才能在国际舞台占一席之地。一个国家的教育系统就或多或少影响了人民的素质和其竞争力。

为此,政府将在明年拨出310亿令吉给教育部,以发展更有素质的人力资源。这项拨款将用于推展现有计划的经费,包括增聘新学校及职员费用、食物补助、奖学金等。不过,政府在教育方面的拨款多着重于学校的基本建设、师资方面等,却忽略了教育内容的改革,以更迎合本地市场需求和国际标准。

为了吸引专科医生继续为我国服务,政府也决定提高公共服务领域专科医生的奖励金、增加乡区医生以及护士的津贴等。但是,就不知道这些奖励金是否真能留住这些人才呢?相信除了待遇方面,工作环境、政府对某行业所制定的政策、固打制等因素,也都影响专业人士是否愿意继续留在我国效劳。

值得鼓励的是,公司提供给员工的福利可获得免税或扣税,其中包括员工交通津贴、房屋贷款、手机互联网费用、员工教育费等。可回扣的医药费更扩大至妇女生产及中医等传统医药费,使打工一族获得更多的保障。

美国有比尔盖兹、日本有机器人、中国有奥运会、新加坡有效率,那马来西亚有什么?我国有丰富的天然资源,也是石油生产国,但是这是不足够的。我们都知道石油有耗尽的一天,所以我国应重新定位,根据我国的各种优势,研发新的产品及寻找新的市场。最重要的是,使用创新的技术去带动传统产业。

早前,联合国教科文组织就于7月7日,将马六甲和槟城州列入世界文化遗产名录,实属难得。这不但可以打响大马在国际的名声,更可以吸引各国的旅客前来我国观光,进而带动这两州的经济活动。

不过,一些早前被列入世界文化遗产的旅游胜地,也因为当局的过度采伐、游客数量过度、全球变暖等,而失去其原来的面貌。因此,政府应极力维护文化遗产,并限制顾客人数,以使旅游胜地的独特文化和建筑物,能长久地保留下去。