Hot Tip: Customer Service

 

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.

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    • Mike Hofman

    Mike Hofman was previously editor of Inc.com and a deputy editor at Inc. magazine, which he joined in 1996. The site was nominated for a National Magazine Award for Digital Media in 2010, and was named the best business website by Folio Magazine. In 2006, Hofman was part of a team of writers nominated for a Webby Award for best business blog. He lives in New York City.


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