There is a good chance if you are a professional reading this that you are an expert in your field. You build apartments, straighten teeth, or argue in court. It is almost as certain that you are not an expert in getting the best terms out of your bank, because almost nobody is. We think of banking as boring because we do not understand what is possible. Even CFOs are on their toes because banks change their requirements frequently.
Thinking outside the bank box
By considering the details in some of the more mundane bank-related functions, clients have the potential to realize significant savings. Consider:
- The interest rate on your savings is likely fixed, but larger clients negotiate to have it float with government rates.
- The more deposits you keep, the better your loan rate should be.
- Banks are valued largely by how little interest they can get away with paying depositors.
- The difference between banking with a small bank and a large one can be like the difference between Chick Fil-A drive-through versus calling your cable company.
If you have a long-term relationship with the right bank, almost everything is negotiable.
As mentioned, companies hire CFOs to deal with this.
jhh as your banking advisor
You should not need to hire a CFO. jhh has longstanding expertise in the financial sector and a network of a variety of lenders. One of our principals has specialized in banks for nearly two decades and continues to meet with executives from as many as 100 banks a year, from Hawaii to Puerto Rico.
Our unique perspective and network of lender relationships provides unique leverage for us to find cost efficiencies for our wealth management and business owner clients.
Leveraging our network
jhh supports our clients with both introductions and negotiations to potential lenders. Over the years we have helped a variety of clients such as trucking company owners, doctors, Nasdaq CEOs, developers, and family offices access cost and service efficiencies with their banks.
Consider the example of a small business client in Greenville, SC wanting a local bank. Below are the leading banks in the market:
Due to our experience, jhh has developed professional relationships with key members of a dozen banks on this list. Based on your personalized needs, we can discern which lender qualities may fit your circumstances better than another.
While some offer little more than a low-quality service level with commodity service offerings, we help our clients find the right fit that will be competitive in both rates and service for reliable customers. The best bet may be mixing one of the smaller banks for some needs and a credit union for others.
What’s next?
Today, the biggest problems we see are a) challenges getting a loan, and b) cash management. jhh guides clients around these issues to drive better financial outcomes for their investment and business assets. We’ll address some of the specific pain points on this page in the weeks ahead.
Disclosure
Advisory services are offered through JHH, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. An investment advisory disclosure document JHH Wealth, LLC that describes our firm’s services, pricing, conflicts of interest, and other matters is available at no cost to you. This type of document is also available for any investment advisors managing your account. Please ask us if you would like a copy of these documents. This is not a solicitation for purchase of securities or services. JHH, LLC does not receive any fees or incentive for distributing this information.