I’ve been thinking about switching banks lately as my current bank has cut back on or eliminated a lot of my favorite services and the fees they charge have gone up significantly in recent years.
Which bank you use can play a huge role in all your finances, so you should expect nothing less than exceptional service from your bank. When deciding what bank to go with, it’s best to keep in mind the list of products and services you need the most, and speak with several professionals on the subject to find out who will manage them best. Below are some services you should look for and expect from the bank you choose.
Discounts and Rewards
Everyone likes to be rewarded for loyalty, and getting these rewards through a financial institution is a service you should look for from your personal banker. Thanks to a competitive industry, more banks are offering their clients discounts and incentives to take out additional products and keep banking with them for years to come. For example, Heritage Bank has rewards attached to a number of their credit card products, that include gifts, discounted travel insurance, and tickets to theme parks or movies.
Financial Planning
By choosing a bank, you are ultimately choosing someone to trust with your most important and valuable assets. It has to be the right choice for you. As part of this commitment, one of the services you should expect from your personal banker is personalized financial planning. This usually involves security for your finances, advice on issues such as investments and life insurance, and help with making sense of income from sources such as redundancy packages.
Access to Lending Solutions
Borrowing money, whether it’s for a car, a home or an overseas holiday, is a big commitment, and requires finding something that is flexible enough to work with your requirements. Due to the broad number of banks and financial professionals available, you should look for a personal banker that is going to go out of their way to find a comparison rate on a loan that suits your needs. This could range from a secured personal loan to a low-interest home loan if you’re looking at purchasing a new house.
Account Management
It’s common to have a number of bank accounts, credit cards and loans, and appropriate management of all these finances is what you should expect from your personal banker. You should be briefed by your bank on what each finance option means for you, including increases in interest rates, what fees and charges apply to certain bank accounts, and how you can move funds from one account to another without worrying you are going to lose anything.
Looking after your financial assets is one of the most vital things you can do. Because of this, it’s important to find a personalized service that caters to the needs of your finances, as well as the needs of your lifestyle. Make sure you shop around before settling for the bank you wish to look after your money, and thoroughly compare all products and services to find exactly what you’re after.
What are some services you look for when trying to find the perfect personal banker? Have you had a particularly positive or negative experience in the past?
