307 Results
Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra
The economic downturn may lead to a surprise revival of interest and investment in branch banking, as consumers seek out personal advice and a shoulder to cry on in a recessionary climate. Seventy per cent of Lloyds TSB branch managers across the UK say that they have seen an increase in the number of customers coming through their doors to discuss...
04 November 2008 /retail Finance 2.0
Bryan Inch, the general manager of RaboPlus, the Australian Internet arm of Dutch co-operative Rabobank, has been running an executive blog for over a year. In September, he announced through the blog that he would be moving back to New Zealand and leaving the bank. He also introduced his successor, Greg McAweeny, who successfully launched RaboDir...
24 October 2008 /retail Finance 2.0
With what appears to be impeccable timing, Hollywood is awash with reports of the imminent return of Gordon Gekko, the ultimate master of the universe, in a reprise of the 1987 blockbuster Wall Street. With a working title Money Never Sleeps, the new movie will see Gekko released from jail to confront the financial market meltdown afflicting moder...
24 October 2008 /wholesale Where are they now?
National Australia Bank's brave experiment with social media appears to have blown up in its face. NAB initially set up myfuturebank.org (now sadly deceased) to engage with customers online and listen to their experiences of using the bank. But faced with the inevitable critical comments that tend to surface in such a public forum, the bank seems t...
21 October 2008 /retail Finance 2.0
HSBC recently wrote to inform me of important changes to my bank account. Apparently, customers had expressed dissatisfaction with the paltry 0.1% AER rate of credit interest offered on HSBC's curent account. HSBC's solution? To stop paying any interest on its new range of current accounts. "After all," says the bank. "You could get ...
21 October 2008 /retail
Flashing across trader's newscreens everywhere on Friday
14 October 2008 /wholesale Whatever...
The Financial Services Authority, in its latest missive to bank CEOs, says it has no wish to become involved in setting bank remuneration levels. Yet, despite these assurances, the regulator has made it patently clear that the bonus-driven excesses of the past will no longer be tolerated. "There is widespread concern that inappropriate remune...
13 October 2008 /regulation /wholesale
The credit crunch is no laughing matter, but as any psychologist will tell you, laughter is a way of dealing with extraordinary events that challenge our system of beliefs. So, in the interests of good mental health, here's a selection of some of the best gags currently doing the rounds. Q: What is the definition of optimism? A: An investment banke...
10 October 2008 /retail /wholesale Whatever...
A digital clock erected in Times Square to show the US national debt has run out of digits. When the national debt level passed the $10 trillion mark a couple of weeks ago, the digital display failed to keep pace. The board was first erected to highlight the $2.7 trillion level of debt in 1989. A new board with extra digits is under construction. I...
09 October 2008 /retail /wholesale
As a Liverpudlian, I'm pleased to see Barclays creating new jobs in my home town. But as a Barclays' customer my heart sinks at the creation of this new 'proactive' call centre. Explaining the investment in a second outbound telesales operation, Alan Longmuir, head, premium segments, Barclays, says: "Our proactive contact centre division has g...
09 October 2008 /retail
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