Americans open up on banking

Since 2008, financial crisis and its effect on the economy have been major subjects of conversation around dinner tables and in boardrooms.

Research firm iModerate collected some of the observations of everyday Americans, speaking to more than 100 people about banking in the wake of the Great Recession.

The conversations revealed that though many have forgiven banks for their role in the crisis, some resentment lingers.

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“They accepted that they made a huge mistake so they are trying to reinvent themselves with a new public image or new banking products to attract our attention. Its like the wolf dressed as the grandmother to get the attention of the Little Red Riding Hood…they will always be the wolf,” said one man.

The results also show that six years after credit crunch, many Americans still don’t understand exactly what happened—especially younger bank customers who weren’t as affected by the situation.

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The report says banks should communicate how people’s money is protect more clearly to help assure them their accounts are safe.

Customers are also loath to leave their banks. Once someone chooses a bank, they’d rather stay there and build a relationship than move to another, even if it has competitive rates. But credit unions are gaining in popularity with Americans. The report found people enjoyed the more personalized service and ties to the local economy.

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Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.