We Asked 100 Advisors: What’s Wasting the Most Time?

By Able AI | 5 min read

The hidden time traps that are holding firms back — and how top advisors are escaping them with automation.

Time is your most valuable asset — but if you're like most advisors, you're spending too much of it on tasks that don’t grow your business.

We surveyed 100+ advisors, from solo RIAs to large multi-advisor firms. We asked:
“What’s the #1 thing eating up your time each week?”

The answers were clear — and fixable.

📋 The Top 5 Advisor Time Wasters

1. Chasing Paperwork

“Following up on missing forms and signatures is a full-time job.”
Whether it’s onboarding documents, ACATs, or RMD forms — the back-and-forth with clients kills momentum.

2. Scheduling Ping-Pong

“I spend 15 emails just to book one meeting.”
Manual scheduling is a silent killer of productivity. Even with calendar links, many clients still reply, “What works for you?”

3. Repetitive Client Questions

“Same questions, different clients — every day.”
“What’s the status of my account?” “Did you get my document?” “Can I change my address?” You’ve probably answered each of these 100 times this year.

4. Manual CRM Entry

“If I don’t log it, it didn’t happen. But logging takes forever.”
Keeping records updated is critical — and tedious. It slows down follow-ups and adds hours of admin work.

5. Compliance Documentation

“I’m spending more time documenting conversations than having them.”
Whether it’s emails, notes, or escalation tracking, keeping things compliant often becomes a full-time job.

🤖 Where Automation Changes the Game

Here’s how advisors using Able are reclaiming their time:

• 🔁 Automated Follow-Ups: Bots that check in on paperwork and nudge clients to complete tasks

• 📅 Smart Scheduling: Calendar integrations that handle availability, reminders, and rebooking

• 💬 Client Support Assistants: Always-on chatbots that answer common questions or route service needs

• 🧠 Intent-Aware Chat: Able detects why a visitor is reaching out — and responds accordingly

• 📥 CRM & Compliance Sync: Auto-logging interactions and routing summaries to the right team

⏳ What That Time Is Worth

If you're spending 10–15 hours/week on admin tasks, that’s 500–750 hours/year.
Imagine redirecting that time toward:

• Prospecting

• Relationship-building

• Higher-value planning work

• Growth strategy

Time saved is growth gained.

💬 Advisor Spotlight

“Since we implemented Able, I feel like I have a full-time assistant that never sleeps. It’s saved me hours a week and clients love the quick replies.”
— Melissa R., RIA Founder, Austin, TX

📈 Reclaim your time. Reinvest it in growth.

Discover how Able helps advisors get back to what matters most.
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