If the financial advisory industry had the equivalent of meteorologists, they would be ringing alarm bells. The perfect storm is gathering. Three distinct high-pressure systems are moving in on the industry; each is a force unto itself, but together they will change the financial services landscape forever.

Robo-advisors and the blistering pace of fintech innovation, a Department of Labor in the throes of a volatile power struggle in Washington, and the coming of age of the next generation of post-boomer investors is compelling financial organizations to take a hard look inwardly and ask: What are we going to do to survive this? Inaction is not an option, and serious missteps in this environment can spell doom. Those that prepare properly for this storm will be fine — but prepare, you must.

First, organizations need to identify the elements of this storm to understand what they're up against. Only then can they find the relevant technology tools that can help them survive it.