Member Article

A day as the bank manager

It’s finance week on Bdaily and we are looking at the landscape of funding and investment, from both sides of the table. Here Christine Banks, branch manager of Handelsbanken Tamworth, takes us through her typical day.

8.00am

My day starts by dealing with emails and planning the day ahead over a cup of coffee. At 9am I gather all branch team members for our weekly catch up and we discuss any new proposals and completed business. This is a good opportunity to raise any issues and share experiences with each other.

I enjoy the interaction with customers and try to be as involved as possible in the day-to-day business and join meetings whenever it is possible. Usually I have one or more meetings scheduled per day and I prepare for them with the Account Managers. Together we review the company’s performance, credit risk, audit requirements and profitability. Each Handelsbanken branch decides with whom we do business. We do not have any sector preferences, targets or bonuses, instead, assessing each case on its own merits.

10.00am

A meeting is scheduled with a prospect customer, a local business that was referred to us through an existing relationship, as most customers are. Our Asset Finance Manager is joining us to this meeting to assist with any specific queries about finance of the firms’ machinery. When meeting potential customers they often express how pleased they are to hear that business decisions are taken at branch level, which benefits them, as we are able to act swiftly and sensibly. They also appreciate being served by the same people at the branch and that they can reach their Account Manager anytime via direct line or mobile phone. Funny to think such simple things stand out strongly, but it is what our customers’ customers expect of them of course, so why should their bank be any different?

12.00

Back in the branch one of the Individual Banking Managers wants to talk through a customer case with me. This particular customer has the business account for her family-run business with us already, and are now looking to switch her individual banking to us.

We often hear that our customers are delighted by the fact that we have a branch in town and a local presence in the community. They do not have to travel to speak to their Bank Manager and they can walk to the branch or reach us within a few minutes by car from their business premises. When phoning in they get to speak directly to someone in Tamworth branch and we know them by name. We do not have any call centres as our customers never have asked for them. Jason Smith, Managing Director of several businesses in the area, comments on his relationship with Handelsbanken: “..we are very impressed with the level of service and speed of decision making that we have seen from the team at Tamworth branch. We are delighted with our new relationship with Handelsbanken who we see as our long term banking partner.”

2.00pm

Lunch with the partner of one of our local solicitor contacts. Our focus is firmly on nurturing long-term relationships, and not only with our customers. As all Handelsbanken branches are run much like individual small businesses, we steer clear of national or regional intermediary partnerships. In Tamworth branch we are working with many SMEs who like the fact that we are also working closely with their accountants and solicitors in the town as opposed to using a centralised panel where local business gets no benefit and knowledge of trading conditions and the customer are diluted. By being local, we understand the economic conditions of the town and how events may affect our customers’ businesses.

4pm

This afternoon we have invited customers and professionals in the local community for a network event in the branch. We are currently discussing our customers’ 2013 plans so we can assist in their development and growth in the New Year, and this is a good opportunity to know what is happening in the local community and understand what is on our customers’ agenda.

6pm

Reflect on the day and prepare papers for tomorrow’s meetings.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Handelsbanken .