Hat trick of awards for Handelsbanken
Handelsbanken, the local relationship bank with a branch in Chesterfield is crediting its recent success to constant customer focus after scooping a total of three independent awards in only a few weeks.
The fast-growing banking, wealth and investment management provider has been recognised by Financial Times and sister publication Investors Chronicle magazine (“Best Private Bank”), financial magazine International Banker (“Best Customer Service Provider of the Year – Western Europe”), and Citywire Wealth Manager magazine (“Best Overall Medium Firm” for Handelsbanken’s wealth and investment management business, Heartwood).
Handelsbanken has received an award from the Financial Times and Investors Chronicle for three out of the last four years; the initial shortlist being based on a survey of readers’ banking experiences. It is also the second year in a row that Heartwood has received this accolade from Citywire Wealth Manager.
All three awards follow the announcement this October that Handelsbanken has been rated top for customer satisfaction for the seventh year running, in an independent survey of British banks’ personal and business customers**. The bank puts customer satisfaction first, believing local branch teams like Phil Walker’s in Chesterfield are best-placed to serve and make the majority of decisions relating to their customers.
Phil Walker, branch manager at Chesterfield commented:-
“As a bank built on strong and lasting relationships, we focus first and foremost on satisfying our customers by providing the best local advice and service we can. We make all the everyday decisions that matter to our customers here in the branch, free from head office targets or bonus incentives.
“As we conduct no national marketing, we are only able to develop our business by building a strong reputation within the communities we serve. It is good to see that our reputation for customer service, across our banking and wealth management services, has attracted wider positive attention.”
Chesterfield branch staff have full power to advise customers on their banking needs, and agree individual product terms and pricing, free from targets or bonus incentives. The team of 5 bankers draws on over 100 years of combined banking experience to meet their customers’ individual needs locally.
Overall, Handelsbanken operates over 850 branches in 25 countries worldwide, with the UK representing its fastest-growing market. As well as the branch in Chesterfield, teams of experienced local bankers now serve individual and corporate customers in more than 200 other communities throughout Great Britain.