Ho ho ho! ‘Tis the season to sprinkle some holiday joy into the world of diligence and a gift from our team on best practice in creating an asset manager DDQ!
Hey there, both asset allocators and asset managers! While we jingle our way through this festive season, let’s unwrap some golden tips on how to sleigh your Due Diligence Questionnaire (DDQ) creation/respond and avoid those dreary pitfalls!
Asset Allocators:
Looking to ace your asset manager DDQ creation? Follow these merry steps to create a snowstorm of success:
✓ Leverage Industry Standards: Think of them as your guiding North Star and avoid duplication for asset managers!
✓ Organize Your Questions: Categorize diligence questions by functions and firm vs. product and avoid duplication for a smoother ride.
✓ Craft for Speedy Analysis: Structure your questions smartly for quicker and objective responses.
✓ Go Digital!: Embrace digital platforms for a seamless hassle-free experience.
✓ Lastly, let’s paint it festive! Use modern, delightful colors for a pleasant review experience.
But wait, hold the sleigh! Here’s a sprinkle of ‘what-not-to-dos’ for asset allocators, especially if using Word or Excel DDQs to keep those asset managers merry:
🚫 Try to avoid merging cells
🚫 Try to avoid locked cells – freedom is the key
🚫 Table inside a table? Oh, snow way! Keep it simple for easy answers
🚫 Excel rookies, no macros, please! They can create icy issues for your managers
🚫 Say goodbye to old Word or Excel versions! It’s the new-age, after all
As you make new year goals for 2024, remember, accepting responses in digital formats makes the ‘search, analyze, and report‘ so much merrier!
Asset Managers:
Your turn to join in the merry-making of DDQ excellence and improve your asset allocator’s diligence experience!
✓ Start with Industry Standards: Like finding gifts on a wishlist
✓ Search Your Library: Use a clean and complete content DDQ library wisely for a smoother sleigh ride.
✓ Dive Deep in Answers: Provide thorough explanations and responses like Santa’s gift list!
✓ Add Context with Footnotes: Because full context is the present your allocators really want.
✓ Don’t forget the legal tinsel – add the necessary disclaimers.
✓ Ensure fonts are as clear as a starry winter night.
Now, let’s unwrap the ‘what-not-to-dos’ and sprinkle some ‘avoid-the-coal’ magic:
🚫 No typos, please! Let’s keep it all tidy and bright.
🚫 Conflicting data – not on Santa’s nice list!
🚫 Skip the marketing language! Investors prefer honest and precise answers.
🚫 Do not refer to another file “Please refer to DDQ on our investor portal”
🚫 Avoid copy and paste from old DDQs! No one wants gifts from 2022.
🚫 Don’t rely on cryptic / machine generated file names. Hand crafted gifts are always valuable!
Remember, Santa Claus is coming to town and he loves a well-named, clean, easy to read/respond DDQ, so let’s keep it organized and joyful!
Let’s make this diligence journey a winter wonderland of efficiency and joy! Happy Diligence and Season’s Greetings from DiligenceVault!
Download our Holiday gift to you in the form of a Checklist of the DOs and DON’Ts of Creating A DDQ