Hot Tip: Customer Service

By Mike Hofman |  Jan 1, 2000

Gene Balliett's financial-planning firm provides free service for any client's parent who is age 80 or older. Balliettand his wife, Dee, make the baby-boomer-friendly perk available to every client at Balliett Financial Services, their$1.7-million firm based in Winter Park, Fla. The one drawback: though only a dozen parents use the service, Balliettsays he gives them extra attention for fear of liability if their portfolios were to decline.