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Mar 24, 2009 12:22 am

I’m a Legacy AGE guy that thought it was time to speak out about what I have been seeing with some of my colleagues and what has been written on this forum in regards to the AGE to Wach Merger.  We certainly have a lot to be frustrated with over the last year.  Not least of all this crappy market we have been going through.

  My underlying thought is this: Change happens and it is not easy to make changes in the way we do business i.e. Smart Station, contact management/ no brokervision.  But weren't we compensated to sit in out chairs and deal with some BS?   Didn't we all have realistic expectations about what a conversion would mean?  Did we think smart station actually had Broker Vision and they forgot to tell us about it when the conversion took place?  Quit whining and do your damn job!   I guess I wanted to put another POV out there from a Legacy AGE.  I think Smart Station is better than Client One.  I never used BV except for the notes.  I used Outlook for appts and meetings.  Most of my AGE couterpartsthat I knew about did the same.  So why is everyone complaining about the contact management?  You can still do thes functions now.  Hell, we now even print out an envelope with the clients name on it!  Quit your whining!  Some of the tools on SS are way ahead of what we had at AGE.  The Portfolio Insight tool presents a much better report than Ontrack.  Adding NH accounts and making proposals are much more impressive then what we had. The fee based platform and using custom choice models are much more user friendly.  I have done a couple envision reports and my clients love them.  It wasn't easy to learn how to do them but I have been working every night to work to learn the system.  Envision is light years ahead of OTPP.  The bad part, is you need to learn how to use them, but wasn't this why we got paid to stay?????   I like how my clients with 250k don't have to pay an IRA fee or any acct fees. I like that I have a more complete choice of mutual funds and am closer to a true open architecture than AGE.  I like that after I pay my fixed cost each month I keep 50% of any business I do.  I like the ability of breaking down my business on FA Analysis.  Nothing like this at AGE.  We can finaly analyze our business.  I like the increase in SMA's and the abilty to discount my fee based business without getting scalped.  Hell,  I even think the format of the new statement is better!  I like I like how my clients can make deposits to there accounts at any bank or ATM.  I like the improvement in functionality of the remote access.  Call me nuts but the service request makes life easier once you figure it out.  Service at the home office is not as good as it use to be.  But I also thought there was a general decline even before wach came into the picture.  What I can tell is that most of the home office people are trying hard.  I just had an occasion where the person I talked to did not have an answer for my question.  It was the end of the day and I was not expecting a callback.  First thing the next morning someone from the department called me back and walked me through the process on Smart Station.  I have every confidence service will get better.   If you were Legacy AGE and left Wach, please acccept my Best Wishes.  It is rather pathetic to be spending so much time "selling" your decision to everyone else.  I also did my due dilligence when we were first bought.  Danny L. has made some mistakes and certainly screwed the pooch in regards to retention.  But as a Legacy AGE, I never did think we were particulary entitled to anything.  We had just been paid to sit in our seats and although it was sh*tty to go through Wachovia to Wells for our clients sake, moving to Wells will not create a disturbance to our business like learning smart station and having our clients get new checks from a now dead bank.  I must admit that sucked!   We have had one broker leave our office about 3 months ago.  He has taken about 40% of his book and hardly any of his clients are leaving anymore.  We have not tried hard to retain his clients.  I would imagine he is saying how awful Wach/Wells is to all his old clients trying to get them to come with him.  Apparently they don't give as big a sh*t as we may think.  I think he overestimated his relationships.  He actually sent an email out to his clients saying that Wachovia Securities brokers were "slapped in the face" when we didnt get retention and that was one of the reasons he left was beacuse he "knew" we would not get retention.  None of his clients seemed to be concerened about us not getting a retention.   In sumamary. Change sucks.  Get on with it or get going.  Please stop your whining like little Bit&%es   My apologies to any Legacy Wach.  Not all us AGE are asses.
Mar 24, 2009 12:25 am

Danny, is that you?? Danny?

Mar 24, 2009 12:34 am

Poboy…you’re living a dream. Congratulations!

Dropping to your knees was probably unnecessary though.

Mar 24, 2009 12:40 am

No, not Danny, just sick of the whining.

  There are two post on the front page of this forum right now about WACH.  One about how Wach pockets the 12b1 fees.  How is this any different than AGE?  It isn't.   The second is about annuity payouts.  The story says that we are getting less in commision than before.  I personally have not seen any differnece, but I do know that we are getting paid 50% instead of 45%.  Those numbers make a diffenrece to me.   Again, quit bitching.  If you go, please stop trying to sell yourself on your decision.  Its pathetic.
Mar 24, 2009 12:47 am

I agree. Those that are still there will never leave, they are the ones that will bitch at AGE, Wachovia, Wells, or any other brokerage firm they work at. Easier to bitch than roll up your sleaves and get to work. I imagine those left cant leave because they are 200k producers nobody else wants

Mar 24, 2009 12:54 am

[quote=BE PATIENT]I agree. Those that are still there will never leave, they are the ones that will bitch at AGE, Wachovia, Wells, or any other brokerage firm they work at. Easier to bitch than roll up your sleaves and get to work. I imagine those left cant leave because they are 200k producers nobody else wants[/quote]

  BP,   Be careful on the assumptions.  I went through the Top Performers program 2 years ago and everyone from that class is still here.  Almost everyone from the class are now Premier Advisors.  Three of the guys I get advice from are $2mil plus producers.    Again, as you know, the number of reps posting here is an extremely small population.    
Mar 24, 2009 1:21 am

BP…you are truly such a know it all. Do you have group pictures of yourself in your office.

For close to 200 posts you pontificated about Retention claiming this and that, and when it was done, you knew the same as everybody. Squat.

You made your move first, then turn and pour scorn on those that have yet to move. Your the kind of zero personality, love myself DBag that belongs in MS.

Must be brutal to be within earshot of you all day. FK.

Mar 24, 2009 1:37 am

[quote=Poboy]No, not Danny, just sick of the whining.

  There are two post on the front page of this forum right now about WACH.  One about how Wach pockets the 12b1 fees.  How is this any different than AGE?  It isn't.   The second is about annuity payouts.  The story says that we are getting less in commision than before.  I personally have not seen any differnece, but I do know that we are getting paid 50% instead of 45%.  Those numbers make a diffenrece to me.   Again, quit bitching.  If you go, please stop trying to sell yourself on your decision.  Its pathetic.[/quote]

Are you on a different pay scale than everyone? No one gets 50% payout anymore at WS...50% on everything over 10k...but that doesn't=50%
Mar 24, 2009 1:50 am

Some how I manage to do over 10k a month.

Any additional goes 50:50.    Your at Stifel, as somany of your post state.  Good for you.  Your making $500 more a month than me assuming our production is the same.  I doubt that is the case.
Mar 24, 2009 2:00 am

[quote=Poboy]

Some how I manage to do over 10k a month.

Any additional goes 50:50.    Your at Stifel, as somany of your post state.  Good for you.  Your making $500 more a month than me assuming our production is the same.  I doubt that is the case.[/quote]

Lets do the WS Payout math shall we....
20k = 37%
30k = 41%
40k = 43.5%
50k = 44.8%
60k = 45.7%

I wont even get into the fact that no one actually gets that payout when you factor in  the 0 payouts, ticket charges, haircuts etc...figure several percentage points less at each level
Trust me I did the math...and for my bus mix the payout was WAY below AGE...let alone SF.
Every month there is likely several thosuand of production eaten away by fees and no pays.

 I think I see were we are going...none is 50%...that was my point...not pointing out the fact the SF payout is higher...thouht maybe you were confused...in the old days of AGE we did get 50% then 45% on Annuities.

Danny thanks for the post, I am glad to see that some are happy at WS/WFC...hope you do well :)
Mar 24, 2009 2:43 am

Nest Egg

  Were you even here for Smart Station rollout?  I have seen SF computer system and Wach is ahead of what you have.  My clients like the envision reports.  Stifel marketing material looks 2nd rate.     I am sure you are pleased with your decision. Congrats.  But please stop pitching your firm so you feel more comfortable with your decision.  Its pathetic.   All I am saying is there are people that are Legacy AGE that realize AGE is gone and Wach/Wells is a good place to serve their clients.        
Mar 24, 2009 2:49 am

Poboy



How would you feel if you had a 15 million dollar account that generated 140k in fees and commission last year and the client writes a check but short a penny in the cash account so wach reject the check and charges client $20 tells client it’s wach policy. Probably wouldn’t feel too good

Once the client acats out. Keep drinking that k aid and talk to me in 6 months.

Mar 24, 2009 3:52 am

I would be pissed but this kind of schitt happens everyday to me, but I get notification in daily activity, and an email, and as long as I respond that morning the check gets cleared. I will eat the $20 charge…maybe I shouldnt have to go through that, but schitt happens.

  Thanks Poboy - many wachovia securities advisors have thought what you are saying.  I hope you find smarstation helps with business after going through the hassle. I have been on several other systems and its as robust as there is - imo.
Mar 24, 2009 3:58 am

[quote=skbroker] Poboy



How would you feel if you had a 15 million dollar account that generated 140k in fees and commission last year and the client writes a check but short a penny in the cash account so wach reject the check and charges client $20 tells client it’s wach policy. Probably wouldn’t feel too good

Once the client acats out. Keep drinking that k aid and talk to me in 6 months. [/quote]



Or why don’t you just make a business decision you cheap bastard and eat the $20 for him?

Every FA whines about the firm’s fees…every one of you can eat a few here or there; that is not unheard of. FAs are the cheapest d’bags I’ve ever met…always have been.

Mar 24, 2009 3:59 am

[quote=Wheat-ie] [quote=skbroker] Poboy



How would you feel if you had a 15 million dollar account that generated 140k in fees and commission last year and the client writes a check but short a penny in the cash account so wach reject the check and charges client $20 tells client it’s wach policy. Probably wouldn’t feel too good

Once the client acats out. Keep drinking that k aid and talk to me in 6 months. [/quote]



Or why don’t you just make a business decision you cheap bastard and eat the $20 for him?

Every FA whines about the firm’s fees…every one of you can eat a few here or there; that is not unheard of. FAs are the cheapest d’bags I’ve ever met…always have been.[/quote]



Not to mention, if your relationship is so bad with the client that he leaves for THAT…it sounds more like an excuse for him, anyway.

Mar 24, 2009 4:06 am

wheatie

wow,  you are one f***ing retard. 
Mar 24, 2009 4:11 am

do you really think that i  f***ing care about the $20.  its the f***ing non client centered so called business model that f***uvia is running that’s pissing me off.  so many retards on this board 

Mar 24, 2009 4:15 am

Skbroker -

If your client, with $15mil account - generating $140,000 in '08 commissions - decides to leave because of a $20 'bounce check' fee - he must be one shallow jerk.  Oh wait - isn't this story about your own account

Mar 24, 2009 4:21 am

yup   that client is a jerk but very good looking jerk

Mar 24, 2009 4:23 am

oh ok   so you get a better response from a wachovia sec marketing material vs stifel?  that makes great sense.