Tim Wheeldon is joint managing director at Fluent Money
With the nation’s newspapers constantly consumed with harsh headlines relating to the banking and financial services industry, it is easy to see why those of us working hard in the sector are cast in such a bad light.
Practically each week the Fleet Street hacks breed a fresh negative news story; just as soon as we have weathered one storm, a new one crops up.
Take last month, for example. With the echoes of Bob Diamond and the interest rate rigging still ringing in our ears, we hear the screams from across the pond of HSBC and the money-laundering fiasco.
Now there is no doubt that both of these stories are scandals but sometimes it’s hard to distinguish the real scandals from the constant background chants of “Evil Bankers” which pervade all of our media channels.
Whilst it’s easy to criticize and complain that the entire financial services industry is no longer trusted and disliked by pretty much an entire nation, I think it’s time we all got a grip.
Enough with all the negativity; now is the time for us to make the positive changes that our industry so desperately needs.
It is not all doom and gloom but it is down to us to shine the light on all of the great things that our industry has to offer.
Admittedly it will be no mean feat to lose the “evil” epithet but we can make a real difference to the lives of our customers with great service and innovative products.
Let’s not allow the inappropriate behavior of the minority to impact the honest, hardworking majority.
If we don’t get a grip now we might lose a hold of the future of the industry altogether.
