IRESS has enhanced the social media tool in the latest version of its adviser back-office software, XPLAN 2.2.

It allows advisers to see a complete history of everything their clients have tweeted, posted or blogged on various social networks, alongside other key information on the “client dashboard”.

The adviser must have a social media relationship with a client before any activity can be included in XPLAN.

IRESS Senior Business Development Executive Michael Kinens says advisers now have, for the first time, a consolidated insight into their clients’ world.

“Advisers can also post to various social media sites directly from XPLAN,” he said.

“So rather than having to go to each individual site, they can post, tweet or blog directly from XPLAN, a great step forward in terms of efficiency.”

Social media recently helped Canberra-based Beames & Associates director David Rae, when he discovered via Twitter that his client’s three-year-old daughter had a life-threatening disease.

“I have social media relationships with lots of my clients and happened to see a tweet from a client talking about his daughter’s illness,” he said.

“I then learnt a little more from a link to his Tumblr account. What’s significant is he had not notified me of the child’s illness.

“He didn’t realise that when we reviewed and updated his policies last year, we included some child trauma cover for his daughter.”

Mr Rae advised the client of the cover and started the claims process immediately.

“I would not have known so quickly, and therefore would not have been able to start the claims process so quickly, if not for social media,” he said.

Mr Kinens says the tool allows advisers to deliver more personalised responses, much faster.

“Mr Rae’s case is a perfect example of how advisers, via social media, can learn of and respond to a change in client circumstances well ahead of review time,” he said.

“These responses not only help relieve a client’s pain and stress, they also help ensure that the advice is timely and truly appropriate to the client’s needs and current situation.”