Go On Last Branch In Town -WIN THE CUSTOMERS!

Posted on: 19/05/2018

If you want to know how banking has changed, read on.

In the early 1990's, a business associate and I, working together on a new venture, arranged to meet the manager at the branch of the Bank of Ireland near Victoria Station in London.

The manager met us cordially and listened intently to our business proposition.

Within half an hour, we left with our £25,000 unsecured loan agreed.

Today, none of that would be possible. 

First, find the branch.

Second, find the branch manager.

Third, find the person authorised to grant such a loan. 

I live in Leatherhead, which amazingly still has branches of all five "Big Banks"  - plus a branch of Nationwide Building Society.

However, I guarantee none of the people running those bank branches has the authority to grant an unsecured £25,000 loan to ANYONE.

The truth is that the role of branch manager has been diminished out of all recognition, to the extent that most of those that have the title do not feel they are of value, are important to the local community they are meant to serve.

An illustration?

A couple of years ago, I personally visited all the bank branches in Leatherhead to ask the managers to attend an event Citizens Advice - of which I am a Trustee - was running.

NOT ONE TURNED UP FOR THE EVENT. ONLY TWO BOTHERED TO OFFER APOLOGIES.

All of which helps to explain why the "Last Branch in Town" often closes.

If I was running the last bank branch in my town, I would be putting leaflets through ever door, telling customers of my own and other banks that MY bank was staying to serve them.

I would be visiting every company, club and charity in the town and surrounding area, conveying the same message.

I would persuade locals to switch accounts to MY bank and then work on making sure they understand all the products and services MY bank offers - and know that to keep OUR branch in OUR town , they need to use it.

IN SHORT, I WOULD BE A LOCAL CHAMPION FOR MY BANK.

Are bank Head Offices stopping such Local Champions emerging, so they can go on closing branches unchallenged - or have the managers, where they still exist, simply lost their energy, their "bottle", if you like.

Whatever.

WE NEED SOME LOCAL CHAMPION BANK MANAGERS TO APPEAR RIGHT NOW, RESISTING, IF NECESSARY, THE ACTIONS OF HEAD OFFICES OUT TO DIMINISH THEM -AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.

If you are a Local Champion in YOUR branch, write to me at delnevo11@gmail.com or phone me on 07973210154.

I will be delighted to both recognise and applaud YOUR efforts - as will everybody in the community you are determined to serve.

 




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