The AnswerBank Articles

Mobile Banking Is The Way Forward

Mobile banking should be the next big innovation in technology, one expert has claimed, but in order to do so it is going to need to be simple. According to a leading association dealing with mobile data, paying for goods with a credit card linked up to a mobile phone has to be as easy as buying an application for an ...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Moving on – not moving off: How to avoid alienating users during a major site revamp

The saying goes you can’t please all the people all of the time.  Well, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to please the majority if you are thinking of giving your website a major wash and brush up If you are the webmaster in charge of a very popular and well established site, making substantial changes...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Ditch the pretence: most jobs don’t need all this window dressing

It was watching again ‘The Spy who came in from the Cold’ that set me thinking.  In the old film, starring Richard Burton, Burton’s character Alec Leamas goes under cover playing a washed up ex-spy on the skids. As part of his cover story, Leamas lands a job in a local London library.  Set ...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

It’s time the FSA insisted we bring back City press conferences

Around 20 years ago, a major shift occurred in how the financial press secured interviews from the senior executives who run our publicly owned companies. In the late 1980s, public company press conferences were phased out in favour of more polite one-on-one briefings between journalists and chief executives. If you ...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Take a fresh approach to your firm’s website

If challenged to name your top ten favourite websites, it’s likely that Google, Amazon, the BBC, Facebook, Twitter, iTunes or OneNewsPage would feature highly on your list.  OK, maybe it’s a little too early for OneNewsPage! It’s a fair bet that none of your chosen sites would belong to an accou...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Current Account Lending Code

High street banks have come under fire recently for their allegedly unscrupulous conduct in the current account market. Levying disproportionately high charges on overdrafts, charging for products that used to be free and introducing unnecessary add-ons are all practices that banks have been criticised for. So, perhap...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Credit Cards Still A Popular Form Of Finance

During the recent financial crisis some of us have been using savings to help make ends meet. However, it seems there are still many people out there who are still using their credit cards for everyday living. While the recession has pulled on consumers' purse-strings they have not learned their lesson when it comes t...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Unauthorised Current Account Upgrades 'Must Stop'

The unauthorised upgrading of current accounts must stop, as it does not benefit consumers, one expert has claimed. A financial advice website made the assertion, noting that thousands of consumers have monthly fees charged to their accounts, after providers elevate the status of products that were initially free. Es...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

One-In-Three Households Too Lazy To Switch Utilities Suppliers

Since the birth of the internet, shopping around for the best energy deals and switching utilities suppliers has been made easier than ever, with consumers able to make use of price comparison sites to easily assess their options.   Sadly, as charities and consumer groups continue to point out, some of the most ...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Direct Debit Scheme To Benefit Consumers

Current account customers will benefit from new direct debit systems being introduced, it has been claimed. According to the European Payments Council (EPC), banks' decision to allow both companies and individuals with current accounts to make direct debits in any of the 32 Single Euro Payment Areas (SEPA) from a sing...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Current Accounts 'To Be More Transparent'

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has announced that banks have agreed to a series of measures, including telling customers the size of the fees charged annually on current accounts. The OFT's announcement follows an investigation into the fees being levied on current accounts when consumers cross their overdraft limit...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Credit Cards Can Be Useful With Care

During the recession debt has come to be a dirty word for many people. We have been repeatedly told by the media that reckless borrowing, unchecked spending and the thoughtless dishing out of credit cards and loans were all contributors to the demise of the economy. It is time, consumers were told, to get frugal and s...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

'There Is Still A Stigma Around Online Banking'

A stigma remains around online banking, which could deter current account holders from managing their finances on the web. A company, which helps customers secure their PCs and protect their data assets, claims that consumers are worried about online banking being insecure and making them vulnerable to fraud. Accordi...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Shopping Around Gets Better Deals On Credit Cards

Consumers have been advised to shop around for credit cards by one financial expert, who says that doing so could bring about significant financial rewards. An advice website has made the claim, explaining that there is a lack of trust in the financial markets which is encouraging consumers to stick with what they kno...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

'Credit Card Debt Has Gone Up'

The level of credit card and loan debt has risen during the credit crunch despite the overall level of money consumers owe having fallen. According to a leading firm for insolvency and business recovery advice, people are using credit cards as a short-term solution to manage their bills during the recession. A repres...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Credit Card Customers Learn Tough Lesson

It has been a tough couple of years for many of us. With much belt tightening and penny pinching; we are all slowly coming round to realise the true value of money. Consumers will have learned how to manage financial products such as credit cards better during the recession, one expert has said. According to impartia...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

A Guide To Business Accounts

Business banking differs from personal banking in multiple ways, so if you are looking for a bank account for your business it is important to know how they work and what is out there on offer. What Is a Business Account A business account is a form of current account (such as the personal ones) that is specific...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Hotel Fraud May Compromise Credit Card Customers

Credit card customers were left wondering whether their details had been snatched by hackers recently after a US hotel chain conceded it may have been affected by a security breach. The global hotel company revealed that in the US and Canada its computer systems had been "accessed without authorisation". A ...15:37 Mon 24th May 2010

Recession Could Produce Entrepreneurs

The recession could inspire more people into embarking on entrepreneurial pursuits such as starting their own businesses, one expert has said. According to national enterprise network NFEA, despite the global economic downturn operating a business from home is still a legitimate pursuit and many people are seeing entr...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Last Will And Testament

It is never easy when a family member or friend passes away. Sorting out wills and legacies in often entangled financial affairs can be a nightmare, and cause rows in one in ten families following a death. Problems can become even worse when the person charged with executing the will's instructions may be struggling wi...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010