Do professional designations still matter?

Some people say it is important to have a host of letters after a name, indicating the professional designations a person has achieved. Some people consider them as a sign that a person is more educated and consultative. The knowledge a person receives from obtaining a professional designation is helpful as a professional will have more ways of assisting clients. There are professionals that say professional designations are not important. To have letters after a person's name is impressive to professionals in the same industry. However, they are not the ones that need to be impressed, the clients are. For these professionals, it is more important the education and consultation offered to clients than the letters after a person's name. It is also important how a person carries themselves and the relationship they have with clients. The clients are more concerned about what a person can do now, than what the person did in the past. All of it is true, but, a designation shows to clients that a professional is taking the profession seriously. Many clients value this; specially now after what happened in 2008 and the mistrust that followed about financial services.