Bill Costarides' first-floor office in Mobile, Ala., isn't a run-of-the-mill brokerage. Past the receptionist's desk, there's an area that resembles a living room. Complete with a couch, big-screen TV and refreshments, it could be called a client...
With four different broker/dealer subsidiaries, Dallas-based holding company Southwest Securities Group (SSG) offers a smorgasbord of financial services--everything from deep-discount online trading and clearing services to full-service brokerage...
1) Delegate.Loosen up and don't be afraid to share the load. But make sure you know whom you are entrusting. "Financial consultants should take the time to get to know their sales assistant, new accounts clerk, operations staff and even the...
Salomon Smith Barney is actively recruiting mature trainees. Scottie King, the firm's director of resource development, says that the average SSB rookie is now 36 years old as opposed to the average age of 26 a decade ago. "In each training class...
If you think that potential clients obtain a list of brokers, devise a slate of questions and go on a round of interviews, think again.The reality of how clients hook up with brokers is much more disorganized. They bump into brokers on planes...
Brokerage firms have been settling a number of wage-and-hour violation charges. Many of the so-called collective action claims have been filed against several big brokerages alleging that the firms made a regular practice of failing to pay...
Merrill Lynch will begin providing investors with proprietary research on outside mutual funds.The research data will be similar in format to Lipper Analytical Services and Morningstar, according to Susan Thomson, a Merrill spokesperson. She says...
Broker complaints about charge backs on wrap-fee accounts is causing many brokerages to adopt new trading policies.Take the Investment Advisory Services unit at Raymond James. There, many brokers had complained that hitting them with a ticket...