Client Profile: Robert & Sandra Biscoe
Robert and Sandra have kindly written the article below on their family, working life, retirement and the relationship they have had with our company since 2007. We greatly appreciate their contribution to Trade Secrets.
Sandra and I have been clients of GFM since June 2007, 2 years prior to retirement. A pity it wasn’t sooner.
I left secondary school and went onto study wool classing at Melbourne School of Textiles in 1966, followed by stints in the public service and the hospitality industry. I went onto work in the hydrocarbon industry with Esso Australia Ltd. in 1977 and retired 32 years later in 2009.
Sandra worked in clerical, secretarial and bookkeeping positions with the Local Government and the hospitality industry, where we met and later married in 1974.
In 1976 our daughter Saasha was born and from that time Sandra became a stay at home Mum. We have two granddaughters, aged 3 years old and a 7 month old at the time of writing this profile. How the years have flown by!
In our retirement, Sandra and I continue to enjoy travelling overseas and within Australia. Our hobbies mainly centre around family but we do like to travel. I like the occasional game of golf, car club activities with the Mercedes Car Club, collecting wine and the odd piece of artwork. Sandra also enjoys photography and travel.
We became clients of GFM on the recommendation of a work colleague who is now a close friend and is a long standing client of GFM. One of the best bits of advice we could have been given at that time.
From outset, Sandra and I were impressed by the professionalism and frankness of how Paul went about explaining the workings of GFM and what they could and couldn’t offer us. There was also discussion as to what Sandra and I were looking for in a financial advisor and what were our expectations and Risk Profile.
This was in stark contrast to what other financial advisors/wealth management people were offering, in some cases crystal ball gazing.
Sandra and I made it clear to Paul that we wanted a long term relationship with our Financial Advisor and were not interested in being shuffled through a myriad of advisors.
Sandra was also encouraged by Paul to give her input and was treated with dignity and respect, after all it was her money and future as well as mine that was at stake, where ever we ended up.
It didn’t take us long to come to a decision as to who was going to manage our financial future.
We believe that in our current situation with GFM, post GFC, we are in a better position than had we gone elsewhere.
GFM has a long term, stable workforce who are diligent, courteous, professional and where nothing appears to be too much trouble for their clients. We have no hesitation in engaging with GFM in all financial matters, knowing that we are treated with respect and all is confidential.
Sandra and I are extremely impressed by GFM, in the way Paul and staff attend to our needs and those of our family members who have come on board and other family members who will do so at some point going forward.
Our financial goals are being achieved by sound, consistent advice, ensuring we receive the right information to keep our SMSF compliant in what would be a process too complex for lay persons such as ourselves to manage.
The seminars throughout the year are a valuable education resource in helping us to understand the financial complexities of markets, investments and other topics such as Estate Planning.
The relationship we have with Paul and staff has become stronger in the 8 years we have been clients of GFM, due to the honesty, transparency and due diligence and friendship they have displayed over this time.
Thank you Paul, Witi, Mai, Patrick and the rest of the team for making our experience with GFM both pleasant and rewarding.