Good article in ‘Business Moneyfacts’ this month. It recalls how bankers used to rely on ‘the story’ behind a businesses finance application, as much as ensuring that ’all the boxes were ticked’. However the changes in banks have led to the front line bankers now having to be more processing driven, plus it seems that Read more about Where have all the bank managers gone?[…]

Excellent initiative announced today – RBS corporate managers being trained in credit risk (?) and also to spend 2 days with a local small business. In the late 90’s NatWest ran one of their most succesful programmes ever – in conjunction with Durham Business School’s (DUBS) small business unit. We did just that – but Read more about RBS Managers being trained in ‘small businesses’ – Lets go round again?[…]

Increasingly seeing clients uneasy about interest rate management contracts that they are being asked to sign up to as a condition of getting a loan or a refinance. The underlying concept is right (it gives you the certainty of knowing what your costs are) and the banks are right to promote them. These are however Read more about SWAP deals – ‘Lets be careful out there’…[…]

A new client with a dilemma: He set up a company some years ago with an ex colleague. All was going well until a few months ago when his partner wanted to split the business but he didn’t. Now the client is seriously ill and away from the business a lot and his partner is Read more about Do you know what would happen if anything happened to your business partner?[…]