Banking Services

What is banking?

The word 'bank' is derived from the Italian word 'banca', which is derived from the German word for 'bench'. Moneylenders in Northern Italy originally did business in open areas or open rooms where each lender worked from his own bench or table. The very first banks were probably in religious... The main functions of a bank include raising funds by attracting deposits, borrowing money in the inter-bank market, and issuing financial instruments in the money market or a securities market and then lending out most of these funds to borrowers including companies, individuals or government.
Offshore banking simply means to have your bank accounts in a bank outside your own country. It is therefore easy to find offshore banks that offer exactly the same services as you would expect from a bank in your own city. All offshore banks will of course let you deposit and withdraw money. In addition, an offshore bank would typically offer the following services to its private customers: Money transmissions Loans Currency Exchange Investment Management Fund Management Fund and investment management means that the bank is managing securities.

Net Banking

If you are tired to stand in a long queue waiting for a passbook to be updated or wait for the next day for a demand draft to be prepared, take heart. Internet technology has invaded the portals of our banking institutions and as the cliché goes everything will just be a click away. No doubt, innovations like telebanking and automated teller machines (ATMs) have considerably put customers at ease in the recent past. But with net banking the customer will be able to transact with the help of a mouse and his visits to the neighborhood bank will become a thing of the past.
Online bankingBe one of the many online banking customers that are getting astonishing services for the first time by just signing up with an online bank. What's so special about online banking that you can not get from a regular walk in bank? Do your banking in your pajamas, at home, seven days a week twenty. All of the services your bank offers can be used online, weather you want to pay your credit card bill apply for a mortgage and even check up on your IRA's. If you have banking online for a while now, you will have observed that your online bank just keeps on adding more and more.

Main Bank service Types

Personal banking :Is similar to retail banking. The essence is that the products and services of the bank are tailored to meet individual banking and ancillary needs, including everything from a checking account to investment advice. The different products available through personal banking... The most prominent feature in personal banking today is technology- enabled, customized products and services like anywhere banking, ATMs, and the delivery of services through channels like a telephone and the Internet.
Global Banking Forced to Favour the Customer :Banks worldwide are offering more and more new services that help the customer understand and plan for their future. The bank or financial institution is nothing without the customer and finally the customer is reaping some of the rewards.
Financial Services Help Manage Money :Financial Services, Wealth Management Frequently individuals who are wealthy need financial services in order to manage their money and stay wealthy. Many wealthy individuals who do not use financial services for wealth management see their money slipping out the window. Financial Services , Business Banking Services Business banking financial services are also an option for businesses that need help in managing accounts, income, payments, loans, and any other types of financial services needed.
Home Bank Loans All banks lend money to individuals and groups. But all this money given out by banks is supposed to be returned back to the bank on a few conditions. The foremost condition is that one has to pay the bank debt in easy payment installments, over a considerable period of time. These banks also came to existence for providing different types of credit and monitory services to various member institutions, including savings and loan associations, savings banks and insurance companies. However, like all other bank loans, the foremost condition is that one has to pay the home bank loan.
Credit Cards Credit cards are a financial tool that should be used judiciously. They serve two main functions for the person who posses a credit card. One, it is a convenient mode of paying for goods and services and second, it is the best way of getting unsecured loans to purchase goods and services. At that moment of purchase the bank or financial institution pays on behalf of the customer and then he or she has to pay back the amount within a certain period of time, which is fixed by the company. Different types of credit cards are issued according to the need and convenience of the consumers.

Services Typically offered By Banks

Although the type of services offered by a bank depends upon the type of bank and the country, services provided usually include:
1. Taking deposits from their customers and issuing checking and savings accounts to individuals and businesses.
2. Extending loans to individuals and businesses.
3. Cashing cheques.
4. Facilitating money transactions such as wire transfers and cashiers checks.
5. Issuing credit cards, ATM, and debit cards.
6. Storing valuables, particularly in a safe deposit box.

Certain Queries From Your New Bank

The obvious questions, such as the level of branch, online or internet banking services, interest rates, and standard charges, you may also wish to ask your bank the following questions.
1.How will account managers deal with payments when there are insufficient funds in your account. If you are with a bank that has "known" you for a long period of time, they are far less likely to return a payment if you are a few rupees short, compared to a bank where you have only just opened the account. Some banks operate with "shadow limits", where they will pay any items up to a certain amount, or they will allow you to go overdrawn by a certain figure , without charging you for it.
2. The charges for sending a letter, or daily-unauthorised fees can be extremely high, and unless you are the kind of person who is always comfortably in credit, you should always be aware of how your bank sets its fees.
3. Can you use your cash card in the cash machines you are used to?
4. Will you be issued with a Switch or a Visa Debit card.
Basic Banking Issues :
1. How much will the bank charge me for operating my account / if I go overdrawn.
2. What are the interest rates for credit and debit balances? How much difference will this really make to me during the year?
3. Where can I use my debit and ATM cards?
4. Will I entitled to an overdraft, personal loan or credit card, and if so, how much will I be able to borrow?
5. When are the branches call centres and websites open (yes, not every online bank operates 24 hours - for example, Lloyds TSB online banking closes for daily updates between 12 and 4am).
6· Will I be offered any additional services, such as insurance, or discounts?
7· Does my bank have any ethical policies?