The Association of Independent Financial Advisers (Aifa) will next week unveil the complete version of its online business academy, FF>>WD, to help advisers transition their businesses to comply with the retail distribution review (RDR).

The FF>>WD (Fast Forward) academy, which has been developed with the help of NMG and Skandia, has been road-tested by a group of advisers and will offer an eight module course for transition.  

The first module of the eight-module course went live in June and next week Aifa members will be able to access the seven other modules for free.

The course includes modules on business auditing; client segmentation; service and operating propositions; pricing; client management; financial models; and how to change a plan in unexpected circumstances.

Each module provide resources such as case studies, templates, spreadsheets and sample client letters.

Advisers completing the financial model module, the sixth in the course, are provided with spreadsheets to test finances, ‘what if’ scenarios and factor in staff, premises, IT, outsourcing and factoring costs as well as fees and commission into the plan.

The working group which tested the material included Amanda Davidson, from Baigrie Davis, Roger Sanders from Helm Godfrey, Stephen Greenstreet from Origen, Giles Elliot from Skandia and Chris Cummings (pictured) of Aifa.

Cummings, director general of Aifa, said the academy had been designed to help IFAs ‘survive and thrive’ in the future and urged members to sign up.