More news keeps coming out about the VW emissions scandal. In case you haven’t heard about it, the VW group who owns Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi to name a few, embedded a sophisticated piece of computer software into their cars to trick federal emissions testing.
What we know today is that the malicious code was only put in their diesel models. Here’s how it worked, when the software would detect emissions testing equipment the embedded computer code would alter several engine settings that would help it perform better than it would when not being tested. In fact, the software would shut off one second after it detected the emissions testing had ceased. What federal investigators from the EPA uncovered was that the vehicles were spewing up to nine times more pollutants than allowed by law.
In addition to the huge fines VW faces, they also have to repair over 11 million affected vehicles worldwide. Unfortunately for them, that’s not their biggest problem. They have eroded the trust of their customers, their most valuable asset. In business, you learn that a reputation is something you build and trust is something you earn. There’s nothing more important when building a long-term relationship and it should never be taken for granted.
One of the most important decisions you will make revolves around your personal financial planning. The decisions you make will impact how you live today and more importantly, how you’ll live in the future. There’s a lot at stake and your ability to leave something behind for your loved ones might depend on the choices you make. That’s why getting the help of a qualified financial professional you can trust is so very important.
It takes time to develop trust in any relationship but sitting face-to-face is a great way to start. There are many things you can learn about a person during a meeting and one of them is how comfortable you are communicating with them. You’re going to be discussing your finances, your goals for retirement and the things most important to you. Having good communication with that person will go a long way in making sure you are on the same page.
Many qualified financial professionals offer no obligation, complimentary meetings so you can get to know them as much as they will get to know you. This is the first step in building a relationship and helping you achieve your goals. Having your trust is the most important thing to us, and with the right retirement plan we’ll have many years to earn it.
