The myth of quality European banking

trading1 · Sep 20, 2009

Quote from Alexis:

myth No1:

Europeans never work.

(We work less, but create as much added value, thanks to higher productivity, don't ask me how and why)

and myth No2:

Europeans are not medically treated if they are sick and too old, because local governemnt don't wanna pay for old people who're gonna die anyway

(lol , pleaaase, just ask before believing that!)

No one is suggesting 'Europeans never work' and the like. This is shadow boxing, or 'euro style debate'

christianhgross · Sep 20, 2009

Quote from trading1:

My experience through out dealing with European banks is complete apathy, disorientation and incompetent, like
funds going astray
no information, or reponse or update.
broadcasting private details of their clients
This is not the exception but the rule. They are meant to be famous for their quality but I have only been totally disappointed. In the lastest case, they've switched account manager 3 times, the 2nd time I thought it wa an email phishing scam, in broken English, then they broadcast the entire email list of their clients, now changed the status of my account without telling me, I'm trying to sell investments and close the account of course and thats going on for months, with no information.

American's complain about their own firms but I find US firms are head and shoulders above the Europeans, they generally work as expected. Whats other traders experience?

First... Broken English? WTF? Ok, I want an American fund manager speaking Greek, Italian, German or Swedish? Oh wait you don't have that! The fact that they are speaking English to you is good.

Next myth of European banks and investments? Yeah it is not like the American banks are making you better returns over the long term. They keep blowing up!

I read all of the posters and have dealt with US, Canadian, French, British, Swiss, Austrian, and German banks. The reality is as follows:

1) In terms of paying and ease of banking Europe leads since they do everything electronically. Takes time to get used to since they have an IBAN system, but it is easy to get things done. Whenever I get checks from the US I get double trouble since they ask, "could they not electronically transfer this?"

2) European banks in terms of investment advisors are bad to good. It all depends on how much money you have. If you have anything less than 500K USD they are not interested in you. If you have less than 75K USD you are a burden for them and they wish that you take your money elsewhere. This is an issue for many American's because Europeans have quite a bit of savings (outside of a couple of countries).

So if you want to take your money elsewhere PLEASE DO because I think the bank wants you to as well. BTW these days European banks want nothing to do with Americans in financial terms because they are too many headaches. The amount of paperwork a bank has to do is quite incredible.

I am not saying it is better or worse. I am saying things as they are. It is the same hassles a European gets when moving or trying to open an account in America...

trading1 · Sep 20, 2009

Quote from christianhgross:

Ok, I want an American fund manager ....
Next myth of European banks and investments?

2) European banks in terms of investment advisors are bad to good. It all depends on how much money you have. If you have anything less than 500K USD they are not interested in you. If you have less than 75K USD you are a burden for them and they wish that you take your money elsewhere.

I am not referring to fund management but simply banking. Maybe thats true, they are not interested in less than say 500k. But why not state that and deal with large accounts only instead of opening smaller accounts and having no real interest in them?

I am talking about no responses, ignoring emails, not providing information, funds going astray etc. This is my experience with the Europeans and its a real pain. How'd you like your funds go astray and then have your reasonable followups ignored as months go by? (Maybe the contrast with Americans is unnecessary.)

austrijec · Sep 21, 2009

Quote from trading1:

I am not referring to fund management but simply banking. Maybe thats true, they are not interested in less than say 500k. But why not state that and deal with large accounts only instead of opening smaller accounts and having no real interest in them?

I am talking about no responses, ignoring emails, not providing information, funds going astray etc. This is my experience with the Europeans and its a real pain. How'd you like your funds go astray and then have your reasonable followups ignored as months go by? (Maybe the contrast with Americans is unnecessary.)

Mate, read Kafka, if you so keen to understand mentality of EU banks. Things have not changed for centuries there. Add to that euforia of new Austro-hungarian empire and low profile americans/anglos enjoy lately in the world and you will understand.

christianhgross · Sep 21, 2009

Quote from trading1:

I am not referring to fund management but simply banking. Maybe thats true, they are not interested in less than say 500k. But why not state that and deal with large accounts only instead of opening smaller accounts and having no real interest in them?

I am talking about no responses, ignoring emails, not providing information, funds going astray etc. This is my experience with the Europeans and its a real pain. How'd you like your funds go astray and then have your reasonable followups ignored as months go by? (Maybe the contrast with Americans is unnecessary.)

I think you are right with respect to the big account little account discrepancy. I seriously would take my money elsewhere. There are banks that are not crap.

WRT to comparison to Americans... fair enough... My point there is often Europeans or Americans when in each other's "territory" expect things to work as they are used to. And they don't especially when talking about money.

Considering the rumbling I have heard in banks they are probably not interested in your money and hence maybe you should go elsewhere. I know I would have...

QuenkishZakos · Sep 21, 2009

Quote from gastropod:

Europe = "Greater Andalusia" circa 2025

Nude beaches on the Mediterranean now = burqua lined beaches 2025.

The Euro is a myth!!! I can't wait to see "both of the European" posters here defend Europe

-gastropod

Most Europeans welocme the increase of Islam so they have no problems with burqua lined Mediterranean beaches.

college_trad3r · Sep 28, 2009

Quote from christianhgross:

First... Broken English? WTF? Ok, I want an American fund manager speaking Greek, Italian, German or Swedish? Oh wait you don't have that! The fact that they are speaking English to you is good.

Next myth of European banks and investments? Yeah it is not like the American banks are making you better returns over the long term. They keep blowing up!

I read all of the posters and have dealt with US, Canadian, French, British, Swiss, Austrian, and German banks. The reality is as follows:

1) In terms of paying and ease of banking Europe leads since they do everything electronically. Takes time to get used to since they have an IBAN system, but it is easy to get things done. Whenever I get checks from the US I get double trouble since they ask, "could they not electronically transfer this?"

2) European banks in terms of investment advisors are bad to good. It all depends on how much money you have. If you have anything less than 500K USD they are not interested in you. If you have less than 75K USD you are a burden for them and they wish that you take your money elsewhere. This is an issue for many American's because Europeans have quite a bit of savings (outside of a couple of countries).

So if you want to take your money elsewhere PLEASE DO because I think the bank wants you to as well. BTW these days European banks want nothing to do with Americans in financial terms because they are too many headaches. The amount of paperwork a bank has to do is quite incredible.

I am not saying it is better or worse. I am saying things as they are. It is the same hassles a European gets when moving or trying to open an account in America...

The European IBAN system is way better than the American routing number system because no single bank account in Europe has the same number. makes way more sense and less misplaced wires.

Kicking · Sep 28, 2009

Lots of B.S. about people not working as hard as elsewhere, however it's also been my experience that European customer service is a lot less professional and sophisticated than in America. Less eager to please the customer, and even rude at times.

Lethn · Sep 28, 2009

I think that's the swiss banks you're thinking of rather than 'European' banks generally.

I live in the UK and I agree, I'm with halifax and there are times where they've gone and tried to sell me insurance unsolicited, they still try to send mail occasionally but usually it's not so bad now.

What pisses me off is the total lack of regard that corporations EVERYWHERE and I mean everywhere have for their customers. It just shows you that we are not in as free a market as our governments claim because if they can get away with not only just simply pissing off so many customers but blatantly ripping them off it makes you wonder just what kind of people they have supporting them to make them behave so arrogant.

The only time in my experience I have seen a free market at work is with the Games Industry believe it or not. As some of you already seem to know about EA Games I hope I don't need to tell you about their pathetic business practices, they were planning on releasing a game called Spore with DRM on it which is basically 'anti-piracy' software but in reality it was basically the equivalent of spyware as they even had written in their license agreements that by installing it they could take information out of your computer.

In short, due to the announcement that they were putting in this software over 100,000 pirates targeted Spore, costing EA hundreds and thousands in sales. This recently has also begun a moderately hopeful change in their policy towards putting this kind of software in as the movement clearly demonstrated it didn't work.

Now this was only something simple in a games companies' actions, but if something like that happened for a game. I really don't want it to happen on an even larger scale in real life somehow but we're already beginning to see the signs in places like Somalia with the pirates that are there.

gastropod · Sep 28, 2009

No - most Europeans are too self-centered to ACTUALLY fight the religion of stupidity...oh, I meant to say slavery (look at the slaves in Saudi Arabia!!!). Well, that and they NEED the Moslem slaves...errr, I mean cheap labor...as they (the Euorpeans) grow older! The Europeans are too stupid to realize that the "religion of peace" fights with the Christians in Egypt/Iran/Sudan etc. The "peaceful Moslems" fight with the Jews (Israel/Palestine)....the "peaceful Moslems" fight with the Hindus in India...the "peaceful Moslems" fight with the Bhuddists in Afghanistan/Indonesia (remember the statues in Bamyan, Afghanistan???) and the "peaceful Moslems" fight with the atheists in China (can you say Uighur).

Yeah, burqua lined beaches are a good thing...just like blocked bowels are a "good" thing!

-gastropod

P.S. I think I need to expand on the "religion of stupidity" thing!!!! What other deviant religion could convince morons (oh, I am sorry - Moslems) that their "real" problem in life is.....Jews!?!?!? There are uneducated kids in Afghanistan/Iran/Pakistan/(name your Moslem predominant country of choice) that lack food - education - medicine, etc. but the Moslem leadership has convinced the dumb Moslems that the "real" problem in the world is...the Jews!!!!! Yeah, the kids in Iran lack medicine, education, etc.....but, the leadership teaches them that the "biggest" problem in the world is the Jews!!! They live over 1,000 miles from Israel...lack basic necessities...and that lack of necessities is caused by the Jews - and their hideous allies the US?!?!?!? Yeah, the leadership (both religious and political) has taught them the "real" problem is the Jews and Americans. Do they ever question that, "Hey, with all of our oil money...shouldn't we have education and medicine?" The answer to that question is: Nope - the problem is the Jews and Americans! Nope - they don't question...while their "leaders" live in luxury and money...the "real" problem is the Jews and Americans...thousands of miles away!!!

Quote from QuenkishZakos:

Most Europeans welocme the increase of Islam so they have no problems with burqua lined Mediterranean beaches.