Originally Posted by
SparkyTheClown
Well that's kind of the point.
I can pick up the phone and talk directly to my authorised financial advisor, not a call centre jockey. They specialise in this sort of thing. Whereas a call centre jockey wouldn't have a clue. They are tasked with identifying why your clicking on a buy order isn't working on the website, or why your funds haven't transferred across accounts. They don't get any briefings, understand the companies listed or anything like that.
Being polite doesn't even enter into it.
If you want to get access to placements or interesting IPOs in volume, then you need to have a relationship with someone you can pick up the phone with and tell them you want XYZ amount of shares. And they will try to get it for you.
The price for this, plus the research and services you get from a quality broker, is reflected in the fees they charge, which naturally is higher than Direct or ASB Online.