DeVere founder and chief executive Nigel Green said he was launching the new service based on four clear developments. First, with more people across countries and regions going into self-imposed or enforced isolation, social distancing has become the only available tool to fight the spread of the virus. “This means that they might not be able to see their financial advisor face-to-face as they do ordinarily,” Green said.

Second is a shifting economic landscape. Green, like most, sees the global economy barrelling into a short and deep recession, where new industries are likely to emerge. “There will be winners and losers in terms of sectors, jobs and wages" he said, that will naturally and directly impact people’s finances.

Third is moving into an era of negative interest rates that are also affecting investment decisions; the US being the latest entrant. Coupled with this, Green noted, is managing the challenges of ongoing volatility and perhaps once-in-a-generation buying possibilities and ways to shore-up retirement income.

Many must be weighing the current crisis in which from adversity comes opportunity for investments to be more actively managed in an environment presently engulfed by uncertainty and dislocation.

Stepping into some of this terrain, the firm said that its free contactless service will include a wealth scan in which clients and their advisor can discuss financial objectives and answer questions; a fact find where an advisor can discuss a client’s current financial situation; and a customised report enabling an advisor to analyse and recommend next steps, if any are required. Beyond that, it said, users have the ability to track their portfolio and financial strategy in real time and book an e-meeting with their advisor through the firm’s app.

The move should encourage more wealth managers to promote their technology and advisory as an anywhere, anytime, in any circumstance service to clients.

“In these trying times we must all play our part, by removing physical interactions from our services, you can have peace of mind that your health, and your wealth will remain secure,” Green said.