In this day and age of instant information and overstretched supervisory personnel, you have to be careful to avoid forgoing a very useful supervisory tool. Meeting face to face with those associated persons under your supervision on a regular basis could mean the difference between routing out rogue advisors and being subject to regulatory and civil actions.

Face to face meetings are even more important where the people you supervise are in regional offices. In other words, those advisors you do not see on a regular basis. With these people in particular, you must go to their offices for regular visits.

You may ask why it is so important to have face to face contact with the people you supervise. After all, you monitor email and correspondence on a daily basis. The advisor submits her outside business and AML forms on at least an annual basis. So who cares about a face to face?

Believe it or not, people lie on forms. It is easier to lie on paper (real or electronic) than it is in person. Also, seeing someone in their natural environment may make it easier to solicit information from them because they are relaxed.

Face to face meetings also help to show whether a person is living beyond his or her means. For example ,what would it mean if a mediocre producer is now driving a Ferrari? Maybe nothing, but maybe a lot more.

People living beyond their means can be a sign that they have another source of income, legitimate or not. You would never know if there is a potential issue if you did not bother to go to this person’s office for a face to face. That person could be the next Madoff, but you would never know if you only sat in your office and stared at a computer screen all day.

If you are going to supervise, then do it. Never forget the value of face to face meetings with those under your supervision.