Client strategies

Though banks have always measured customer satisfaction, there is a greater focus now on understanding exactly what drives the customer experience and how it can help the bottom line.

The director of financial planning at R.W. Baird, Tim Steffen, discusses the upcoming elections, what changes to the fiscal landscape are possible, and how advisors should steer clients through the uncertainties and tax issues.

A run-down of the stories in this issue, including how shifting demographics can open new markets; the special needs of gay and lesbian couples; a look at dividend stocks; and Merrill Lynch's deferred compensation settlement.

Advisors are helping gay and lesbian clients face the unique barriers to achieving their financial goals.

Advisors need to help clients focus on their long-term plans by demonstrating the risks of short-term emotional decisions.

More than four in 10 investors (41%) view themselves as "very inexperienced" with investing, up from 27% last year.

Almost 79% of small business owners believe that their annual revenue will increase or remain unchanged in the next twelve months, according to the findings of Western Union's Small Business Barometer survey.

The experience is aimed at strengthening client's ties to their advisor and trust in the firm

A proposal to deal with RIAs' regulatory advantage over independent broker-dealers.

Whether you are relatively new to the planning business or have been in the profession for decades, odds are you have lost potential clients as a result of mistakes made at a first meeting.

An arbitration panel has struck down an investor's $1 million plus claim against Morgan Keegan's troubled bond funds, citing the standard industry warning "Past performance is not guarantee of future results."