Business Banking - Who's good?

[saltire]

Having just come back from Oz just over a month ago my fiancee is really keen to start out on her own. I'll probably be on asking a few different questions

I've always been under the impression that RBS was the best business bank. What's other people's views and experiences? Both companies I worked in before used RBS but I want to make sure I do some research so I can give my fiancee a steer on what banks to look at.

Ta.

Mark

 

[Brian McIntosh]

I use RBS as my business bank. I chose them through necessity rather than choice as I stay in a village where they are the only bank. I have been very happy with the service and the manager is like an old friend. Very happy.

 

[michael@theiba.co.uk]

All the banks offer good service - the key to a succesful and ongoing relationship is finding a local business manager who takes an interest in your business and will work with you in the future.

The quality varies from bank to bank, region to region - so its worthwhile shopping around.

But befire you do this think about what you are looking for eg free banking, loan facilities, free overdraft etc and guage the response you get from each.

From a current perspective I like RBS, Abbey offer a great "free" service but with limited commercial lending facilities and Barclays are currently very keen despite a limited branch network.

 

[stugster]

I've recently moved from Barclays to Abbey. Abbey got my street name considerably wrong, but thankfully the postie managed to salvage it and send me the cheque books, cards, etc.

Abbey are "free", so you'd do yourself no harm going with them for the time being until you find someone better - or your business can afford the ~54p per cheque transaction etc.!

 

[saltire]

Thanks for all the posts so far. I'll certainly be checking out a few of the banks above. It's quite confusing in Edinburgh as pretty much every bank has a presence. I bank with the Abbey myself so maybe this is as good a place as any to start.

Mark

 

[stugster]

One of the reasons I'm with Abbey is that I can deposit cheques and cash at any of their ATM Machines, 24 hours a day

That alone makes it worthwhile.

 

[nothing does]

I use Barclays as I have used them personally for years and find them very helpful and more importantly very easy to speak to. When I started my company I tried to open an account with another bank who shall remain nameless and found then less than useless. After 2 months of meetings etc my account still wasn't open and I couldn't even get in touch with the business manager there who even ignored all the letters I sent. So I went to Barclays and have found them brilliant. They even offer a service in which if one of there business customers may need your services they will pass on your details. I have managed to gain a very good client this way so I would certainly recommend them.

 

[PC]

HSBC with no complaints about them.

The business did use Abbey for 6 years but I got peeved off with them because of a catalogue of minor problems that all added up to me leaving them.

The final straw was when I was on hold for the telephone banking for well over 20 minutes. That broke the camels back for me.

 

[Boxby]

If you are a member of FSB (which i strongly recommend you join) you get free banking (for life) i think with the co-op.

If your partner is female, then Bank of Scotland are really pitching hard at this group, and there are lots of lovely offers with them at present.

RBS are trying hard to match that, so their start up offers at the moment are quite good too.

I like RBS because you can reach your local manager quickly and easily, and also their tie in with Streamline, Worldpay, Protx etc making everything quite good from an e-commerce point of view.

Kind regards
Sandra