InvestmentNews' Charles Paikert spoke with independent broker/dealer recruiters about the state of competition, and how firms are setting themselves apart in the eyes of independent advisors who are thinking of changing broker/dealers. In an era of mergers and acquisitions and little attention to detail, Cadaret, Grant places more value on personalized service.

"Look, we all have good technology, especially these days. It gets down to intangibles. We want people to visit us here in Syracuse to get a feel for who we really are. We say, 'Come on out. Take a test drive.' We think they'll like what they see," Peter Grifo, vice preseident for recruiting, says.

Read the full "Indies seeking an edge in fight for breakaway reps" article.