AI of 12,000 meetings finds advisors speak more than clients

Jump analyzed nearly 12,000 advisor-client meetings recorded by its AI notetaker from October 2024 through November 2025. The company reported advisors spoke more than clients in 84% of sessions. Speech timestamps and language analysis were used to measure who spoke when and to assess client emotions.

Jump created a Client Sentiment Index that scores emotions from 1 (worst) to 10 (best). Clients began meetings with an average score of 6.44. Clients who expressed worries about paying bills averaged 5.32 at the start of their meetings.

The analysis found clients were more likely to leave meetings with higher sentiment when they themselves raised topics such as tariffs, interest rates or layoffs. Meetings in which advisors introduced those topics more often ended with lower client sentiment.

Edward Mahaffy, founder of ClientFirst Wealth, described advisors arriving with set agendas and a focus on solving problems quickly. “They walk in for a quarterly meeting… the clients may need to talk,” he recalled, adding that silence from advisors can make some meetings more productive.

Mike McMeans, president of Silverling Financial, begins meetings by asking clients why they think the meeting is happening and what outcome they want. “I’d really like to hear why you think we’re here today and what you want to make sure happens,” he asks, and he keeps a rough timetable to cover key topics.

Some firms use AI to track speaking time. Corinna Rose, a paraplanner at Bell Investment Advisors, uses the AI notetaker Zocks and targets clients speaking at least 30% of the time. She noted that if clients do most of the listening, advisors may miss what matters most to them.

Melissa Caro, founder of My Retirement Network, advised against rigid talk-time rules. “The goal isn’t to hit the ‘right’ percentage. It’s to understand why you’re talking, why you’re listening and what the client needs,” she cautioned.

Rick Lake, a financial commentator who reviewed the findings, recommended starting meetings with open-ended questions such as “What has changed since we last spoke?” He observed that when clients raise news topics on their own, those topics often reflect personal concerns.

The report and advisors provided practical steps for meetings: monitor how much time advisors speak, open with questions that let clients name their worries, reflect understanding during the discussion, and check clients’ emotional state as the meeting proceeds.