I’ve spent my career leading data-driven distribution strategy at two of the world’s largest asset managers. And I can tell you from experience—when volatility hits, the business doesn’t slow down. It speeds up.
Whether it was our top-performing fund suddenly underperforming, a major sales re-org, or global market disruption, one thing remained constant: everyone came to the data and business intelligence team.
Why? Because in moments of uncertainty, data is clarity. It becomes the lifeline for managing the business, guiding client conversations, and making fast, confident decisions when the stakes are high.
Volatility Exposes Gaps—and Creates Opportunity
When the market turns, leadership needs answers quickly:
- Do we understand our clients’ full engagement and exposure?
- Are we staying close to top advisors?
- Who holds our most at-risk positions, and how are we mitigating them?
- Is our messaging aligned and reaching the right audience?
- Can we adapt our strategy and launch a coordinated response?
If you can’t answer these questions instantly, you’re not leading through the storm—you’re reacting to it.
As in past periods of uncertainty, the pattern is repeating itself. Conditions are tightening. Growth expectations are being reevaluated. Advisors need more support, not less.
“When everything feels noisy, the most valuable thing a distribution team can offer is precision,” says Jeannette Kuda, President & COO at TIFIN AG and TIFIN AMP. “With the right data, you’re not just reacting—you’re proactively leading your teams and stakeholders through the uncertainty.”
Great distribution teams don’t just provide product—they provide confidence. Especially now, when advisors are overwhelmed and in-person meetings need to be sharper, smarter, and more relevant than ever.
Strong Retention Opens the Door to New Growth
Investor behavior also changes fast in turbulent markets. They’re watching headlines. Logging in more. Quietly wondering if they should shift to cash or change direction altogether.
This is when strong advisors make their mark—not by sending blanket messages, but by using behavior-driven insights to reach out with confidence.
“Clients want more than performance—they want to feel understood,” says Todd Cooper, Chief Revenue Officer of TIFIN AG. “AI helps advisors prioritize and personalize their outreach. Are clients going quiet? Making allocation changes? These signals help guide timely, meaningful conversations.”
That kind of proactive service builds trust—and helps advisors retain assets. But it does more than that.
Advisors who stay present during market uncertainty often end up ahead. History shows that when others pull back, engaged advisors are well-positioned for net new client capture.
In short: retention is just the beginning. Relationships built under pressure are often the strongest—and the most referable.
Empowering Analytics Teams to Lead the Charge
In challenging markets, internal resources are stretched. Distribution analytics teams are asked to deliver faster insights with fewer tools and tighter timelines.
That’s why scalable, integrated data infrastructure matters—not to replace analytics teams, but to free them from the grind of manual data prep and allow them to focus on strategy, segmentation, and action.
And we’ve seen that firsthand recently. One of our clients saw a 4x increase in platform usage and a 5x spike in clicks on advisor-level insights during a volatile week. It was a clear signal: distribution teams were hungry for data, preparing for advisor calls, adjusting strategies on the fly, and leaning into real-time insight.
When times get tough, the most prepared teams don’t wait for clarity. They create it.
Volatility Isn’t a Reason to Wait—It’s a Reason to Lead
We know from history that the firms who invest in intelligence during downturns often come out ahead. The Harvard Business Review found that companies who maintained investment in strategy and innovation during past downturns were 37% more likely to outpace peers in the recovery. And in the COVID-era volatility, McKinsey reported that AI-enabled firms outperformed others in both resilience and return to growth.
What’s the Takeaway?
Whether you’re leading advisor strategy, overseeing distribution, or running data analytics—this is the time to build your firm’s intelligence muscle.
Focus on:
- Precision in advisor and client engagement
- Proactive identification of risk and opportunity
- Retention that positions you for long-term growth
- Empowering teams—not replacing them—with better data
Because when markets shift, clarity is no longer a luxury. It’s the foundation for your next phase of growth.
Want to learn how others are navigating this transition?
We’ve built a practical guide for firms evaluating or expanding their use of AI. It covers strategic alignment, governance, and how to scale responsibly.
Download the AI Policy & Adoption Playbook – Your roadmap to evaluating, adopting, and governing AI for long-term success. Or if you’d like to explore how your firm could benefit from TIFIN’s intelligence platforms:
- Schedule a conversation about TIFIN AG— our intelligence platform for wealth managers and advisor teams. Visit tifin.com/ag.
- Schedule a conversation about TIFIN AMP— our distribution intelligence solution for asset managers. Visit tifin.com/amp.