20 Jun The 90 Second Bank Test: How does your bank rate?

By Ian Robinson

Wouldn’t you like to know how important you are to your bank?  This knowledge will then, after all, qualify the level of competent service and support that your business will receive on an ongoing basis.

Perhaps with a broad definition of our experimental parameters sprinkled with a little commercial imagination we could surmise this answer for you in 90 seconds; the time it takes to make one phone call.

The Test

You are going to make a courteous call to your bank manager’s mobile.  I am going to be bold and assume that the call you make (to your banker’s mobile) will not be answered immediately.  If it does, then your banker will score well.  I would then like you to count the hours it takes for your banker to return your call.

The Scoring

I would like you to email me back with a score from 0 to 25.

“0” equating to your call being answered immediately;

“7” for 7 hours later etc,

And let’s cap it at 25 being anything greater than 24 hours, given that after 24 hours you can safely assume that the qualification of your banker has failed (to be responsive to your needs).

What to ask?

If a message needs to be left, just ask for a call back.

If the banker picks up the call, or returns the call, ask the very pertinent question;

“how much of the recent rate cut back on the 4^th June did the bank pass on to my commercial loan facilities and when will it take place?”

This is a very respectful question that every borrower should ask since it is not advertised as such.  And one that your banker will be glad to answer.

The Results

Personally, you will receive some great insight as to what to expect from the rate cut relating to your facilities from your banker.  90 seconds well invested.

In terms of qualifying your banker, your collective responses will be averaged and be reported in our next newsletter in two weeks time.  You can then personally benchmark your banker against the average of all the other responses.

In addition, I will formally respond as to what each of the major commercial banks dropped their commercial borrowing rates by to also benchmark your banks performance with the other major banks.  Time to get curious…..

Please participate and email me at [email protected]  We look forward to hearing from you all.  Enjoy the exercise!