A LOCAL
RELATIONSHIP BANK WITH A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
The Preston branch of Handelsbanken is enjoying life in its new home in the city’s docklands as it continues its impressive growth journey.
Its 15-strong team have made the move to Edward VII Quay, off Navigation Way, from their previous base in Winckley Square.
Branch manager John Williams says the move, which was completed in February, and the “substantial” investment in its new modern office, is a strong statement of intent by Handelsbanken in Lancashire. The bank has made a 10-year commitment to the property.
John says: “We’ve been in Preston since 2007 and it has been a story of continual growth and development. We started with a four-strong team and have built it up to today’s level.
“The move to the new, bigger offices gives us the ability and opportunity to grow further. We’re very proud to be investing in Lancashire and we are all excited about what the future holds for us here.”
Committed to the community they serve; John and his team are proud of Handelsbanken’s core values and its different way of doing business.
It offers a range of services to its customers, including corporate and personal banking, wealth management, asset finance, cash management and trade finance.
From left to right: John Williams (branch manager), Vicky Quinn (individual account manager), Matthew Heaton (deputy branch manager) and Karen Worthington (account manager support)
know that we are there to support them when they need it, and that is something that goes a long way, as we saw during the early days of the pandemic.”
Life for Handelsbanken began in 1871 in Sweden, and having first established a UK presence in 1982, the Preston branch is one of an extensive network across the country.
Built on sustainable values, Handelsbanken is Europe’s safest bank, and the third safest worldwide, according to Global Finance’s ranking of the world’s safest banks.
“We don’t believe in short-term bonuses and don’t have sales or product targets. Instead, we take a long-term view, investing time in getting to know our customers, their needs and their ambitions.
“The handbook of our culture states: ‘Our advice must always be what is best for the customer, not what is most profitable for the bank at the time’. That is really important to us as an organisation.
The bank also prides itself on its recruitment from within the communities it serves. John says: “It means that our people are all highly committed to their local community. They know the area and its people and that is important.”
We give our customers the
From left to right: Louise Howley, James Ward, Lucy Mccann, Andy Baxter, Vicky Quinn, Phil Cotterill, Karen Worthington, George Pearson, John Williams, Matthew Heaton, Emma Richardson, Louise Eden and Jackie Pinch
Handelsbanken describes itself as “a local relationship bank”, which is based on satisfied customers, financial strength and its sustainable values.
As a decentralised bank, local branches are empowered to make local decisions and that is what makes our approach unique, says John.
John explains: “To put it simply, the branch is the bank. Each branch is empowered to look after its community and to make local decisions. We have built our reputation on local relationship banking, which is at the heart of everything we do
“Our customer base ranges from personal banking customers to small SMEs and large corporate organisations. We get to know our customers extremely well over a period of years and we pride ourselves on building long-term relationships with them.
Its customers also benefit from a dedicated account manager. John says: “Our focus is on helping customers.
“We give our customers the type of relationship that they value from their bank. They know us by name and can pick up the phone and
type of relationship that they value from their bank
“We also understand the impact we have on society, the environment and the financial market, and over many decades sustainable thinking has been an integral part of our everyday work.”
To that end, Handelsbanken aims to be a responsible contributor to the communities it serves and works to make a positive difference for its customers, its people, and the environment.
Committed to becoming net zero by 2040, the bank is also working with its customers to help them on their sustainability journey.
Strong and lasting business relationships, low risk-taking and cost- awareness are all cornerstones of the bank’s culture.
John says: “We pride ourselves on being closer to the communities we operate in and being closer to our customers.
“It means continuously striving to improve the products and services we offer. That’s why we have been rated top for satisfaction for 13 years running in independent surveys. That record speaks for itself. Trust and great customer service are at the heart of what the bank is all about.”
www.handelsbanken.co.uk LANCASHIREBUSINESSVIEW.CO.UK
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