Christian Clients
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I recall this topic coming up on this forum a while back, but I became so frustrated that I thought I would bring it up again. Has anyone had issues dealing with "Christian" clients? The ONLY clients I have ever had who have questioned my integrity or given me problems are Christian clients. Most recently, my "former"pastor refused to sign updated account information as required by my firm. I explained that this is entirely for his protection to make sure that his investment objectives are in line with his actual investments. His reponse is that the "government" requires too much information, they are intruding into his personal life, it is a conspiracy to gain his personal information, etc. He says he will move his account because we require too much information for the service he is getting. I have had the same problem with his wife. I had another "Christian" client who claimed I didn't contact him often enough so I must be trying to swindle him. I have other examples but you get my frustration. While I claim to be a Christian myself, I have found it that working with some of these people is sometimes ridiculous. Maybe it's just me?
No it’s definitely not just you. I’ve had very similar situations - many of them. There seems to be an underlying lack of trust (and real, palpable fear bordering on paranoia) from many of my Christian clients. When I went indy, I left several of them behind for that very reason (and I’m a Christian).
Hey Warrior11 - I think you have empathize with with these clients as too often I have found the Christian community being a source of internal prey from other so-called trusted Christian advisers. If you have access to faith based or biblical based investments - this could help to solidify the relationship. (if not - I can introduce you to a great co)… OR these people are no different from any other client that has trust issues and you just can’t please em all. I have had very interesting experiences with some of my Christian brethren - and they have ended up wasting a lot of my time and then going on to make bad financial decisions. What can you do? You just have to work with the ones that value what you have to offer. The others are not going to ever be satisfied or maybe its just not a fit. As far as the conspiracy theory - just wait until the pastor and his wife move to another firm and they end up having to provide everything you were asking for in the first place!
IMO and speaking as an insider, many many believers especially from evangelical churches are disciples of Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck or… you get the point. They view the culture in which they/we grew up, assuming you are old enough, as the redeemed culture of scripture. This causes them to want to get back to a time when things were the way they should be. It is a form of idolatry. America, a nation I served in uniform never was the redeemed culture of scripture.
I am generally conservative in my politics so don’t assume I’m a liberal.
Evangelical, and I am one, eschatology often leads to a strongly held belief that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Again, IMO, this leads to a marked amount of fear that can control thoughts.
Much of Christianity is also anti-intellectual and that can lead to people who are anti-thought and anti-reason.
Warrior 11
If you see a pattern of clients, who end up as “clients from hell”, then turn them down from the get go. These types of clients only bring you down and anyone they refer would be like them.
I think with such clients it is necessary to be as neutral as possible. Just be patient!