Financial planners are required to work according to a stringent set of rules and regulations to ensure that their customers' investments are safe and the services provided are professional. To guarantee that employees provide certified and standardised services to clients, AMTD Financial Planning, an affiliate of Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Group and Australia's Commonwealth Bank, has set up a comprehensive internal staff training programme since its establishment in 2003. 'Financial planning is no longer a personal thing,' said Alan Tsang Hing-lun, the group's director and chief executive. 'People need professional help and that's what we provide to our customers.' The company aims at formulating the most suitable financial plans for its customers with free, professional and objective financial planning and product advice. To do this, employees at AMTD need to be well-trained and understand every area of the business. To ensure that all employees are equipped with different skills to provide the best services to customers, and maintain the group's reputation as one of the leading financial planning companies in Hong Kong, employees, who are usually qualified professionals, have to attend a mandatory two-week training programme when they join the company. The comprehensive programme includes training on financial planning, the operations of the company, how to manage a financial plan and compliance training. 'The programme structure is based on that from the Commonwealth Bank,' Tsang said. 'We put a lot of focus on upholding the training quality and the services provided by our trained employees.' The programme starts with basic information on the operations of the company, different laws and regulations that employees have to meet at work, licence requirements and the steps required to compose a written financial plan, which is provided to all customers of the company. It goes on to introduce compliance requirements including collection of personal data and provision of risk assessments to customers. Employees are then required to study and familiarise themselves with the company's distinctive computer system. 'Our computer system is different since appointments with customers are allocated by the system to each employee, and all meetings and process of portfolio construction are recorded in the system to protect our customers' interests and keep employees from cutting corners,' Tsang said. New employees have to go through sessions that introduce the various products of the company under the four main financial planning services the company provides: investment management planning, mortgage management, protection management and cash management planning. Other than completing the initial internal training programme, employees are required to attend continuing training workshops that mainly cover updates on the products, compliance and laws. 'Almost all our employees are investment advisers qualified by the Securities and Futures Commission and qualified insurance agents, and some of them are certified financial planners,' Tsang said. 'But we still provide intensive training to them because we believe training can help them understand our operations and mission, and provide the finest services and advice to our customers while upholding our reputation,' he said. Employees, from associate financial planners to directors who oversee multiple teams and help in setting policies for the company, are required to attend different on-the-job training sessions catering for their needs. The internal staff training programme and on-the-job training have been popular among employees. 'They learn what is the best financial planning and we hope that they contribute to the company by enhancing the quality of their work after these courses,' Tsang said. While working to uphold the company's brand name in the industry, AMTD trains its employees to be cautious in their daily work as it involves the savings of its customers who are building up their retirement plans. Customer focused Staff training programme is designed according to that of the Commonwealth Bank Employees are required to attend the two-week training programme that focuses on introducing the company's culture and regulations The aim is to provide a work-life balance for all employees by arranging work-related training and lifestyle workshops