|
|
|
NatWest Bank
Despite a recent rebranding which saw the white "arrowheads" logo become red (rebranding is trendy these days…) NatWest's big day was three years back, when it merged with the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. This created the world's fifth largest banking organisation.
Historically, NatWest Bank has always been strong with students, and continues a program of student sponsorships (oh, along with cricket of course…) which of course really serves to bring customers in when they're young- most people stay with the bank they first signed up to.
With over 3000 branches at the time, NatWest Bank also expanded their cash machine network the fastest during the 1980's- and really pioneered 24 hour banking, but they've been through the mill fairly publicly in the past decade: first closing many branches (especially rural ones) and then stopping their branch closure programme because they were losing customers (in fact last year they reopened a branch!). Now, there are 1600 or so branches- plus other group members RBS, Clydesdale and Ulster to mention a few; and over 3500 cash machines.
NatWest bank doesn't offer the best deals on all products (who does?), and you can often find better deals off the high street; but they're quick to trumpet their new banking philosophy which is backed up fairly well by policy: cash machine withdrawal fees have been abolished (and this was copied by much of the industry), call centre expansion was abolished and customers can now call their branch directly, and all small business customers (NatWest Bank currently has around 850,000) also have a dedicated business advisor.
|
|
|
|