Schmoozing consumers caught in the lock can be an ungrateful task, with a virtual plague of dazzling sounds, intrusions into childcare and the ubiquitous monotony of the background library.
An American watchdog has some news.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc., which oversees Wall Street brokers, said it would allow bankers and investors to spend their food as entertainment expenses, even if they hold an online meeting.
Finra’s strict gift limits have included an exemption for entertainment, which regularly means trips to places to eat. So what happens in a video-only world?
“A key difference between gifts and advertising entertainment is that it is an associate user of a member who usually hosts institutional customer workers,” Finra said in a statement posted this week on her website. For virtual business entertainment occasions or meetings, the authority stated that food and beverage prices would be exempt from their $100 gift restriction.
Finra’s only request: the host won’t have to set up a video call, order the food and disappear. Luxury care packages are prohibited to encourage visitor morale.
[More: Number of B-Ds, representatives registered with Finra fall again]
Subscribe for original information, observation and discussion on the most sensible news of the week from the InvestmentNews team
Pay $four.95 for the first four weeks