It pays to find a bank manager who will listen

[Power Lunch Club]

In March this year, I was quoted in a Scotland on Sunday article about bank about my views of them.

Michelle Rodger: It pays to find a bank manager who will listen - Scotsman.com Business

This is the article.

My view was that companies turning over less that

 

[Idea15]

I had to give my bank my full business plan just to get a basic current account - I wasn't asking for a loan or a credit card, just a simple bank account. I still got the Spanish Inquisition and a call at home from a business banking specialist who was audibly annoyed at the fact that he couldn't find a single hole to poke in my plan.

Banks don't like us immigrant scum opening accounts, you see.

As for the fact that I chose to take most payment through Paypal, the bank acted as if I'd walked in with a balaclava on my head.

 

[Power Lunch Club]

Amazing isn't it...they offer you everything but assistance and support.

Gordon
PLC

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

I went into the bank last week and asked the teller if I could check my balance... So she came round and pushed me

Sorry I know it's an old one but I couldn't resist!

 

[Power Lunch Club]

I went into the bank last week and asked the teller if I could check my balance... So she came round and pushed me

Sorry I know it's an old one but I couldn't resist!

Brilliant...I love one liners!!! Made me laugh!

Gordon
PLC

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

On a serious note though. Businesses turning over less than

 

[polr]

We have just changed our business 'account manager'. We have been set up with them for 6 months and it's still not fully set up which is causing us problems when we want to take money out (not put it in I might add)! Coupled with the fact that we have been waiting since the 16th June (and 4 emails later) for her to reply to the initial email. Oh, and it became a running joke in the office that you email once then two days again then follow up with a phone call before any action was ever taken over any of our queries

We decided that one bank is probably as bad as another (from other stories) and so are giving these lot another chance with a different manager and if he turns our to be as uncommunicative as her then we will leave.

It seems to me there is a huge lack of foresight on their part, a start up may not be making the big bucks yet but who kows a year or so down the line! I do think if we were turning over 1mill a year we would have answers to our mails within hours of sending not weeks.

 

[Brian McIntosh]

I bank with RBS because it's the ONLY bank in my village. I do, apparently, have a Business Relationship Manager but I've never heard a peep from her since I opened my account. I usually end up dealing with the Branch Manager as she probably knows more about my business than anyone else there.

 

[polr]

Funny you should say that because one of the tellers in our local branch knows us and has been more help to us than the business bank manager too - she also seems a little amazed at the trouble we are having and made a point of getting to know us so we could withdraw money from our account without having to jump through hoops each time (due to no signatures being on our account after 6 months)!

 

[Power Lunch Club]

A month into setting up a new account for the PLC...our "account manager" was moved to another branch. And now 5 months later still waiting for my internet banking to be set up...(filled forms out twice)....and don't have any cards yet from them...If I need cash out....I have to go into my branch with identifications...i.e. passport of driving license.

RBS seem to live in a different world from thier clients.

BANK ARE YOU LISTENING.....Cleary not!!

Gordon
PLC

 

[Tim Barlow]

My experiences of business relationship managers is that they are very overworked and under trained. There are exceptions though, I had a great one for a short while but sadly she got moved on.

One way of getting decent service is to join up with a BNI or similar where a relationship manager is a member and then move your account to him/her.