In the quest to grow their businesses, advisors find challenges in new opportunities and in managing scale. But a survey from retirement platform Vestwell finds that they're overlooking gaps in the way they approach making their practices more efficient.

While advisors outsource a number of noncore functions—nearly 70 percent do so for plan administration, and 41 percent outsource data and reporting—the report points out that less than 30 percent outsource fund management, front-to-back 401(k) services, integrations, RFPs, financial planning, or practice management, which it characterizes as "other nondifferentiating aspects of their business."

Meanwhile, 75 percent of advisors say that what does differentiate them is "some form of relationship management, including employee education and holistic wealth management."

The report also says that some firms aren't sure that what they have outsourced should be outsourced—with 68 percent saying that they've done so for plan administration, but just 64 percent thinking that's really the way to go.

In addition, 20 percent of advisors have six or more relationships with recordkeepers, "which takes up a great deal of time and management."

Nonetheless, 80 percent of advisors don't plan to winnow down the number of relationships to a single recordkeeper any time soon.

Reviewing all the functions in their practice could give advisors a better idea of just which activities really merit being kept in house, and which could perhaps be turned over to an outside expert who could save them time that could be put to better use in other work for clients.

The report concludes, "Taking a step back to identify areas of expertise and differentiation will help advisors recognize what services should remain in-house and what can be best serviced outside…. [B]y creating deliberate relationships and a streamlined approach, advisors can more effectively help their clients offer and engage with a successful retirement plan."

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Advisors plagued by gaps in practice efficiencies

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