BUSINESS INSIDER
BANKING
MONEY TALKS Adrian Connock manages Handelsbanken’s new branch in Portishead, providing tailored banking services to both individual and corporate customers
A
drian’s banking career spans 35 years, mostly in corporate banking in and around Bristol. He joined Handelsbanken in 2013, originally at the Regional Head Office in Bristol, until being asked to open the new branch in Portishead in July 2016.
Why was a dedicated Portishead branch opened? It was a natural expansion to our Bristol and Weston Super Mare branches. We specialise in providing tailored banking services to both corporate and individual customers wanting a long-term relationship with their bank and this approach has been very successful. Is Portishead thriving? Yes, most definitely. The completed marina and retail developments and continuing buoyant residential property market are testament to this. Commercial property demand increased significantly during the period when we were setting the branch up. The proposed rail link to Bristol should also be a great boost to local business.
customers. Fundamentally, we believe that this is the route to running a profitable and successful bank. This focus, together with a keen eye on our costs across the bank, is what has led to Handelsbanken meeting its corporate goal: to be more profitable than the average our competitors, for the last 44 years in a row. What’s the attitude to corporate social responsibility? The business opportunities and success of Handelsbanken on the market depend on securing the confidence of customers, the general public, and public authorities. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are part of Handelsbanken’s culture and method of working. For example, Handelsbanken in the Community means the bank is available as the customer wishes: by visiting the branch, by phone or online. The way Handelsbanken works and deals with customers is characterised by a long-term approach, stability, respect, personal consideration and a local presence.
OUR UNWAVERING FOCUS IS ON ENSURING WE HAVE THE MOST SATISFIED CUSTOMERS
How would you sum up the Handelsbanken corporate philosophy? Customers are at the heart of everything we do, and this philosophy influences everything in the bank. Firstly, we operate a devolved leadership model, which means that branches like mine in Portishead are given the autonomy and responsibility to make local decisions for our customers. This is because we believe that those closest to the customers – branch teams – make the best decisions. And because we want to have the most satisfied customers, we also operate without sales or volumes targets, or the bonuses that often go with them, because we believe these can distort behaviour. What are the bank’s chief goals? Our unwavering focus is on ensuring that we have the most satisfied
What Brexit fallout have you seen? It has been business as usual for us in Portishead. What we can really see, is that whether or not we’re a member of the EU does not affect people’s desire for local relationship banking and high levels of personalised service. What’s the most satisfying part of the job? Working for a successful and financially stable organisation that reflects my own values and ideas about how banking services should be provided means a great deal to me. We are traditional in our approach but very modern in what is actually delivered, which is a proposition I can genuinely enthuse about with any prospective customer.
www.handelsbanken.co.uk/portishead
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