Based on an interview with Corey Westphal,
Founder and CEO of Mobile Assistant
Site: | http://www.mobileassistant.us |
Founded: | 1998 |
Value proposition: | Mobile dictation service for financial advisors |
The executive team: | Corey Westphal, Founder and CEO |
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Mobile Assistant is shaping the way people capture and consume ideas, thoughts and conversations. The solutions they provide combine cutting-edge technology with the human touch to deliver the highest quality dictation service to the financial and insurance industries. Their redesigned Talk It Mobile app includes a built-in Assistant feature designed to help guide financial advisors through the dictation process with the use of templates. Corey Westphal, the leader of the Mobile Assistant’s team, today answers the questions about what has made the company a success.
To begin with, in your mind, what was the key aspect that made Mobile Assistant a success? What makes your platform unique?
Corey Westphal: Without a doubt, the differentiator for our company, contributing to our success and making us unique, is the combination of cutting-edge technology with note accuracy that can only be delivered with the human touch.
To elaborate, the effectiveness of a dictation solution requires two important components; 1. Accuracy of the transcribed notes to eliminate the need for editing and protect against compliance concerning errors, and 2. Providing an easy, intuitive way of capturing the dictation from advisors.
We have built a dictation solution that checks both of those boxes. To address transcription accuracy, we employ only US-based, professional transcriptionists with quality assurance editor support to ensure the notes we deliver are error-free. If there is a question in a dictation, our transcription team sends the note to our quality assurance team to ensure we get it right.
The second core component of a dictation service, how advisors can communicate their dictation efficiently to our service for transcription, has been reimagined with the introduction of our Talk It mobile app technology innovation, the Assistant. After a client interaction, advisors open our Talk It mobile app, navigate to the Assistant, then choose a default template (Activity/Task, Client Review Meeting, Phone Call, REG BI), or create their own. The template questions are displayed on the mobile device to guide advisors through the dictation process as they speak their notes.
Dictation templates are available only with Mobile Assistant, and have transformed the note-taking process into a structured, well-organized solution.
Which decisions and/or implementations made Mobile Assistant a success? Which of them proved to be a good lesson for the future (if any)?
Corey Westphal: There has been pressure over the years to cut costs by sending our clients’ dictation overseas to be transcribed cheaply, or running the notes through automation and eliminating the human cost component of our operations. Staying true to our mission statement and not losing focus on the importance of note accuracy is in my opinion the major reason for our success.
Our mission statement: The right people, combined with technology, provide the most powerful solution to our problems. At Mobile Assistant, we believe people make the difference.
Mobile Assistant’s commitment to our technology investment has proven to be a good lesson for the future. Our Assistant innovation has been a game-changer for advisor workflows, affirming that our innovations that help solve advisor problems, i.e. lack of client meeting note structure with typical dictation services, is the way to ensure our company’s future success.
How did you choose team structure, tech stack, project architecture for this product?
Corey Westphal: Our team structure has been built with client experience at the forefront. We’ve expanded our Client Services and Client Success teams significantly in the last year to help onboarding new customers, and quickly provide support to existing clients as we grow.
Our tech stack internally has been built to allow for quick resolution of questions internally and to encourage teamwork. It’s more important than ever for companies to equip their teams with technology that allows for collaboration, which results in better customer service. Mobile Assistant has made this investment and it has resulted in customer service that our clients know they can count on.
Our project architecture will continue to be focused on improving the client experience. Innovations such as the Assistant template guide, migration of our system to the cloud, are great examples of project architecture driven by the needs of our clients.
Do you consider any new integrations? What criteria are characteristic for you when deciding to integrate a platform or not?
Corey Westphal: Mobile Assistant integration with CRM platforms has always been key to streamlining the note delivery process that is so important to advisors. Delivering client meeting notes directly where they are needed, i.e. the contact record in the CRM, is one of the keys to advisor adoption of our service. For this reason, Mobile Assistant will continue to search out new platforms where integration of our service adds value. There are so many new, innovative technologies in the financial industry, and Mobile Assistant will be an integral addition to many of those technologies.