Bank "Business Adviser" role

MyPerfectCousin

In my bank, all queries related to business accounts must go through the Business Adviser. There's one of them and they have limited hours. Appointments are usually needed in advance.

When you're making appointments and meeting with an "adviser", even for routine stuff, one would expect the benefit of all this formality would be the establishment of a relationship with the bank through this one representative.

But almost every time I ring to make an appointment, there's a new person in that role. Over the last three years, there have been five different people moved in and out.

Clearly no relationship is formed; every interaction requires providing a lengthy and complicated back story (I've had three different small businesses with accounts there). Very frustrating for me, and I can't see how it helps the bank person to get moved around so frequently either.

Is this normal? The bank has said they do transfer people a lot, but I was wondering if this is way more than typical?

(this is BoI btw)

pedroeibar1

A banker is by definition somebody who lends money and gets it back. On that basis many of those employed in Irish banks are not bankers. Despite the downturn most bankers have no idea of what customer service is about, they never had to learn it.

In general, bankers at the moment are like headless chickens. They have no idea of what is wanted of them by ‘upstairs’, what is available or where they should be going. Many of them have been moved around and more than quite a few have no idea of what they are meant to be selling or advising. They are demotivated, they have lost quite a bit of their savings/stock options / pension funds. Simply, they are clueless and wander about trying to do as little harm as possible.

It depends on what your queries are about.. payments? forex? ST or LT lending? trade finance? Talk to a competing bank. See if they want your business. If yes, then phone the regional manager of your bank, tell him/her that you are not prepared to put up with a new contact every six months and that you expect better, asking him/her to nominate a ‘minder’ for your business or you will move your accounts. There are very few -decent business accounts in the market, if yours is one, go for what you want and do not be cowed by a nonentity in a suit.

MyPerfectCousin

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Despite the downturn most bankers have no idea of what customer service is about, they never had to learn it.

In general, bankers at the moment are like headless chickens. They have no idea of what is wanted of them by ‘upstairs’, what is available or where they should be going. Many of them have been moved around and more than quite a few have no idea of what they are meant to be selling or advising. They are demotivated, they have lost quite a bit of their savings/stock options / pension funds. Simply, they are clueless and wander about trying to do as little harm as possible.

Yep, that's the impression I get. But with the constant rearranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic, the impression is that the upper management wants it this way -- at least when it comes to dealing with local, small business customers.

Peterdalkey

I would it expect that this situation will settle down in the short term as the main banks have completed their vountary severance programmes. This has lead to many changes in staffing and no small loss in experience/skillbase. All you really need is a competent person to sort issues as they arise and who has some idea of who you and your business are. Many front of house bank staff have been at the receiving end of harsh customer comment/responses post the bank meltdown, These people had no role in creating the mess, they are just the public face of the bank.
I fully understand your frustration in having to strat from scratch each time somebody gets moved.

relaxed

Whenever you are speaking a bank employee just look at them and think "sales person" Their role is to sell you products, whether its the teller or the manager or the business advisor.

neris

My Dad used to be in branch banking from mid 90s till he retired few years ago and was saying from the late 90s up to the time he retired it was all about selling. Was constantly been sent on sales and product courses/seminars. Hed have business advisors etc in a branch who,d build up relationships with customers and then be shifted off somewhere else. Why? Apparently the banks did want the "relationship/advisory" staff building up relations with clients. Hes now involved in business with us and has a pain in his back side dealing with the bank and trying to get the same person a second time. It is extremely frustrating dealing with the banks and is going to be for a while yet. Just remember though that its not the new advisors fault that your old advisor was shipped off and he is where he is now, its a suit above in a cosy office looking over the canal