19 January 2004
**Seven awards in 2003 for HSBC’s Business Banking Services**
HSBC Bank has won three awards from the Institute of Financial Services (IFS) for innovations in technology for business customers, including the overall Grand Prix ‘Winner-of-Winners’ prize for Business Internet Banking.
As well as taking the top prize in the IFS Financial Innovation Awards, HSBC won two individual categories - Best Internet Banking Service, for Business Internet Banking, and Most Innovative e-delivery Channel, for HSBC DriverQuote, which enables fleet managers and company car drivers to get quotes and order vehicles online.
These accolades complete a successful “Oscars” year for HSBC’s business banking service, both on- and offline:
- Business Moneyfacts named the bank the Best Computer Banking Provider at its 2003 awards ceremony in March;
- HSBC is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Best Small Business Bank 2003
- HSBC DriverQuote won the Fleet Week Innovation Gold Award in January 2003;
- HSBC Invoice Finance is the Best Factoring House according to readers of Trade Finance magazine.
In addition to these, HSBC is still the Forum of Private Business Best High Street Clearing Bank for Small Business and the UK 200 Group’s (a consortium of leading accountants) Best Bank for Business.
Alan Keir, General Manager, UK Commercial Banking, HSBC Bank, said: “We call ourselves ‘The world’s local bank’ and these results show that we are being recognised as such in the business market. We are the only major bank using the community banking model, retaining senior management with local knowledge in branches across the UK and making 90% of decisions locally, both for personal and business customers.
“We are delivering sophisticated, easy-to-use and useful technology to our customers’ desktops through our online services, which gives them access to the full breadth and depth of HSBC’s international expertise.
“This global-yet-local approach gives our clients a significant advantage compared to other banks and our investment in market-leading online services shows our commitment to supporting the changing needs of this vital sector of the UK economy.”
HSBC’s Business Internet Banking service has attracted more than 140,000 customers since its launch in 2002, with 10,000 new customers joining every month.
For more information on HSBC’s Business Internet Banking and other services for business customers, visit www.ukbusiness.hsbc.com, telephone 08457 40 41 42 or call in to a local branch.
Media enquiries to Jamie Harley on 020 7991 0646 or jamieharley@hsbc.com
Note to editors:
HSBC Bank plc
HSBC Bank plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc. With over 9,500 offices in 79 countries and territories, and assets of US$983 billion at 30 June 2003, the HSBC Group is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations.
