{"id":70143,"date":"2017-02-27T09:27:38","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T09:27:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/insight\/banks-losing-face\/"},"modified":"2025-03-07T17:21:43","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T17:21:43","slug":"banks-losing-face","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/banks-losing-face\/","title":{"rendered":"Why banks are losing face"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nWhen was the last time you popped into the bank? Unless your auntie has given you a tenner cheque for Christmas or you\u2019ve lost your card reader, then it was probably when you first opened your account.
\nIn just two years, 1,032 bank branches closed across the UK. HSBC was the biggest shaker, axing a quarter of its branches1. Are we gutted? Meh. Here\u2019s why most of aren\u2019t really that bothered about bank branches disappearing off the face of the earth.
\n\u2018Britons would rather talk sex than money\u2019 explained The Independent about a year ago2.
\nLet\u2019s face it, money talk is a bit dry. But it\u2019s also private and most of us won\u2019t tell our mums, baes or bank managers our salaries. Imagine that you need a couple of grand cash to buy a used car or motorbike. The ATM won\u2019t give you that much so you have to go into the bank. \u2018I would like two thousand pounds please from this account\u2019 you declare to the unsmiling face behind the pane of glass, and the seven or so people queued behind you. A wad of cash in an envelope is handed over, and you walk out wondering how long it will be before someone tries to mug you. It isn\u2019t exactly private, is it. What\u2019s worse? Being led into a sound-proof back room like you\u2019re doing something naughty. Oo-er.
\nHeaven forbid you have to leave the sofa<\/strong>
\nTransferring money is much easier to do from home using an app. A few taps and it\u2019s sorted. Going into the bank to sort out money is a faff. They only seem to be open while you\u2019re at work, and on Saturday mornings when you\u2019re supposed to be packing up the car for a weekend away, or you just want a lie in. What\u2019s convenient for the bank seems to be how it goes \u2013 so why go out of your way?
\nFace like thunder<\/strong>
\nHave you ever had great service at a bank? With their hands tied to policies, most bank employees can only tell you what\u2019s what. Talking to someone face to face is no different to reading T&Cs or chatting to someone over the phone. Maybe it should be a faceless industry with a big helpful voice?
\nFinding their voice<\/strong>
\nIf you\u2019ve called Aviva recently, you\u2019ll notice that you can choose the on-hold music you listen to. It\u2019s a nice touch, acknowledging that being on hold is a pain in the arse and that having some form of control or choice is a bonus. The technological age doesn\u2019t have to be cold, just because it doesn\u2019t have a face \u2013 it has a voice and it can be much easier to control.
\nPhoney<\/strong>
\nReading about bank security, we found this gripping headline in The Telegraph (online, of course) \u2013 \u2018I lost \u00a317,500 in ‘vishing’ scam – because ‘I didn’t watch The One Show’3. These scams involve fraudsters phoning people pretending to be from the bank in order to retrieve security details. Citizens Advice predicts that four million people are scammed every year, with more than a third done over the phone4. Why should we trust people at the end of the phone more than apps that have undergone stringent testing?
\nPerhaps we\u2019ll start to trust the written word more than the spoken word. By using a human tone of voice<\/a>, banks could have the best of both worlds.
\n1 http:\/\/www.thisismoney.co.uk\/money\/saving\/article-4029140\/Mapped-1-000-high-street-bank-branches-closed-just-two-years-HSBC-cut-quarter-network.html
\n2 http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/science\/talking-about-money-is-britains-last-taboo-10508902.html
\n3 http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/finance\/personalfinance\/bank-accounts\/10882193\/I-lost-17500-in-vishing-scam-because-I-didnt-watch-The-One-Show.html
\n4 https:\/\/www.citizensadvice.org.uk\/about-us\/how-citizens-advice-works\/media\/press-releases\/four-million-people-scammed-each-year\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When was the last time you popped into the bank? Unless your auntie has given you a tenner cheque for Christmas or you\u2019ve lost your card reader, then it was probably when you first opened your account. In just two years, 1,032 bank branches closed across the UK. HSBC was the biggest shaker, axing a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[413],"tags":[569,570,518],"class_list":["post-70143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-financial-copywriting-us","tag-high-street-banking-us","tag-online-banking-us","tag-tone-of-voice-us"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy banks are losing face - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting & Content Marketing Agency<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In just two years, 1,032 bank branches closed across the UK. HSBC was the biggest shaker, axing a quarter of its branches1. 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