Financial firm helping clients deal with stress from downturn - Business First of Buffalo:

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“We were all struggling with what the market wastelling us,” said Haubrich, who is a certifieds financial planner and president of , a fee-onlh firm in Racine. “I just saw a lot of peoplr with a high levelof anxiety.” The first thing he did was hold two workshopsz in collaboration with a family money The workshops drew a totak of about 30 people and provided advice for clientse such as making sure they had cash reservexs and maintained their credit rating as well as they The family money therapist discussed copingb mechanisms for the anxiety people felt about financial matters and participants also shared their own stress management techniques.
The firm also stepped up its communicatiobwith clients, making sure all were contactex at least once every 10 businesse days. In the past, Haubricy said clients usually were contacted at least every 20 or 30 It seemed tobear results, Haubrichg said. “During the tax preparation season, we just had a lot of peoplwe show up with a high degree of peacrof mind, which told me that high level of communication and touch really helpe them an awful he said. After he gained more clarityg about what was happeninvg with the economy and stock Haubrich put together another workshop for clients aboutpersonalp sustainability.
The firm has held four of the which can accommodate12 people, and will offefr one more in June. The firm will continue to hold the workshop s until demandfalls off. The 90-minute sessiobn includes an overview of the economyh andstock market, but also discusses dimensionx of personal sustainability, including health, relationship, careeer and financial. “We didn’t look at this as a marketing he said. “We looked at making sure we were serving the needs ofour clients, givinyg them strategies and tactics to deal with this economid reset.” But as a side the firm is seeing an influx of new clientd and inquiries.
Dick Outland and Francese Bedford attended oneof Haubrich’s personal sustainability workshopsd in April. Outland and Bedford, a Racind married couple, are both retiresd and longtime clients. They said they were concerned about the hit their retirement incomehas taken, but also find Haubrichy to be a good resource. “Wha t I got out of it mostly was the comfort that he has a lot of knowledge in this area and that the man that we entrustr to manage our resources knowsswhat he’s doing,” Outland Bedford also said it’s comforting when you’ve given so much responsibility to an adviser that he knows what’se happening in the market and how it’sx affecting his clients and will provide good advice.
Haubrich provided “az reinforced confidence that all is well even thougbh things arenot well,” she said. Financia l Service Group also has a virtua l client center that hasa client’s complete file, including tax returna and estate planning documents online through a secure The firm invested in the tool a couplr of years ago and that’s paying off now, Haubricbh said. Revenue is down like it is for everyonew infinancial planning, he said, but demand for service is up. Haubricgh already offers a service to his clients calles CareerAsset Management, whichy integrates financial planning services with career coaching.
Now he’s working with career coach Jane Schroeder to developl a more intensive workshop specificalluy oncareer sustainability.