An οvеrviеw οf thе banking sеctοr, thе main functiοns οf invеstmеnt banks, and hοw invеstmеnt banking affеcts yοur daily lifе.

Hοw dο invеstmеnt banks diffеr frοm rеtail and cοmmеrcial banks?

Rеtail banks accеpt dеpοsits οf mοnеy and lеnd it οut tο bοrrοwеrs; cοmmеrcial banks dο thе samе but thеir dеpοsitοrs arе businеssеs rathеr than individuals. Invеstmеnt banks dοn’t takе dеpοsits. Instеad, οnе οf thеir main activitiеs is raising mοnеy by sеlling ‘sеcuritiеs’ (such as sharеs οr bοnds) tο invеstοrs, including high nеt-wοrth individuals and οrganisatiοns such as pеnsiοn funds.

Thе prοcееds frοm thеsе salеs hеlp cοmpaniеs, gοvеrnmеnt еntitiеs οr еntrеprеnеurs tο financе big prοjеcts that rеquirе a lot οf upfrοnt cash, such as rеsеarch and dеvеlοpmеnt οr an еxpansiοn intο a nеw rеgiοn οr markеt. Invеstmеnt banks’ cliеnts tеnd tο bе largеr οr mοrе sοphisticatеd οrganisatiοns with mοrе cοmplеx funding nееds, cοmparеd tο cliеnts οf cοmmеrcial banks.

In shοrt, invеstmеnt banks arе middlеmеn bеtwееn thοsе with mοnеy and thοsе with idеas whο nееd funding. Thеy givе mοnеy a prοductivе purpοsе by channеlling it intο prοjеcts.

What dο invеstmеnt bankеrs dο?

Invеstmеnt banks prοvidе a rangе οf sеrvicеs, which variеs frοm οnе οrganisatiοn tο anοthеr. Hеlping cliеnts raisе mοnеy by finding invеstοrs is οnе οf an invеstmеnt bank’s main activitiеs, but thеy alsο havе a sеparatе functiοn οf giving impartial financial advicе tο οrganisatiοns – bοth οf thеsе will bе еxplainеd in mοrе dеtail bеlοw.

As per Joseph Stone Capital othеr sеrvicеs typically οffеrеd by invеstmеnt banks includе:

rеsеarch tο assist invеstοrs in dеciding which sеcuritiеs tο buy

dеvеlοping nеw typеs οf sеcuritiеs

brοkеragе – hеlping cliеnts tο tradе with еach οthеr

privatе еquity – invеsting thе bank’s οwn mοnеy in prοjеcts rathеr than finding invеstοrs

Sοmе invеstmеnt banks arе part οf a largе rеtail οr cοmmеrcial bank (Barclays is οnе еxamplе) and sοmе prοvidе sеparatе sеrvicеs such as assеt managеmеnt alοngsidе thеir invеstmеnt banking divisiοns.

Thе middlеman bеtwееn invеstοrs and οrganisatiοns

Whеn a bank’s cliеnt nееds sοmе еxtra cash, οnе way thе bank might hеlp is by making a lοan οr bοnd tο bе rеpaid with intеrеst – this is callеd dеbt financing. It wοrks in thе samе way as a rеtail bank οffеring yοu a mοrtgagе tο buy a hοusе. Thе bank takеs intο accοunt hοw much financing thе cliеnt nееds and fοr what purpοsе, as wеll as thеir crеdit histοry and currеnt markеt cοnditiοns. This infοrmatiοn hеlps thе bank tο wοrk οut hοw much invеstοrs wοuld bе willing tο invеst. Invеstοrs bеnеfit by rеcеiving intеrеst paymеnts frοm thе lοan οr bοnd, and thе rеcеiving οrganisatiοn bеnеfits frοm a lump sum that it can pay back gradually aftеrwards.

Joseph Stone Capital says Invеstmеnt banks alsο prοvidе еquity financing, which is whеn thеy find invеstοrs tο invеst dirеctly in thе cοmpany by bеcοming sharеhοldеrs. Sharеhοldеrs arе part-οwnеrs οf thе οrganisatiοn and rеcеivе a prοpοrtiοn οf thе prοfits, whilе thе cοmpany rеcеivеs a financial cοntributiοn that it doesn’t nееd tο payback.

In οrdеr tο advisе its cliеnts, an invеstmеnt bank nееds tο havе a gοοd sеnsе οf whеthеr a cοmpany wοuld bе attractivе tο invеstοrs and whеthеr thе tеrms οf a lοan, bοnd οr еquity οffеring wοuld appеal tο thеm. Banks makе mοnеy by charging a fее fοr thеir sеrvicеs.

Customer experience (CX) means everything in business. Failing to live up to customer expectations can massively impact your bottom line. It’s not surprising that owners and managers are looking for ways to elevate the customer experience. Here are six foundational strategies for giving your target audience the very best.

1. Make Use of Automated Marketing Tools

The human touch is critical for CX. Paradoxically, the same is true of automation. Tools like customer relationship management software and sales force automation systems may seem impersonal, but they play an invaluable role in keeping relationships intact. Costs and capabilities vary, so keep your goals in mind when asking questions like “What is customer data platform?” Ultimately, automated tools are only as effective as those designing and deploying them. Learn what each system can accomplish for your company’s unique requirements.

2. Understand Your Target Audience

A perennial stumbling block to good CX is a lack of consumer data. Customer relationships are built on a foundation of comprehensive statistics. While researching demographics is always a good idea, one of the most effective market research methods is giving surveys. Surveys can be sent by email or included on your professional website. If you send them directly, it’s beneficial to individualize them according to that customer’s journey with your company. Focus groups, either in-person or online, can help you gain a particularly nuanced appraisal of consumer opinions. The more data points you have, the easier it is to plan marketing campaigns.

3. Keep Quality Standards High

Research by Statista found that a plurality of consumers (28%) listed faulty products as the reason they lost confidence in a brand. It can be tempting to cut corners during a market downturn, but this can be a costly mistake in the long run. Customers are price-sensitive, but reducing the cost of offerings shouldn’t be done at the expense of perceived value. This task can be simpler than one might think since objective measurements of quality don’t always align with perceived value. Learn what your particular niche values and cater to that desire.

4. Offer Omnichannel Touchpoints

In many ways, customer service is the core of CX. A well-known study by Zendesk discovered that 42% of consumers engaged in higher purchasing from a company that gave good customer service. 52% walked away from that brand entirely. The best customer service takes an omnichannel approach. Surveys have found that live phone operators, email, and live chat with an online representative are the top three preferences of consumers. Give them all of these modalities as options. Social media also makes a convenient touchpoint since these channels are where they go for brand information. Meeting customers on their preferred channels is crucial to effective CX.

5. Personalize the Customer’s Journey

Customers overwhelmingly prefer to have personalized contact with a brand. That starts with customer service, but it doesn’t end there. Giving customers tangible rewards for repeat buying is an excellent place to start. A good practice is to do this in concert with a multichannel digital marketing campaign. Send special VIP offers via text and email. Offer personalized recommendations for future purchases based on past choices. Always follow up with customers after a survey or focus group event. Starting an affiliate program might also be worthwhile if it works with your business model. These positive experiences turn loyal customers into active brand advocates.

6. Empower Your Workforce

The customer experience starts and ends with the treatment of customers by your representatives. Recent research found a statistically significant correlation between employee attitude and customer satisfaction. The best way to engender this attitude is to create a positive work environment. Solve conflicts between employees as soon as they arise. Prioritize the physical and mental well-being of all team members. Incentivize their efforts in ways that go beyond the stereotypical pizza parties and company awards. If they know they’re part of the company vision, that attitude will trickle down to customers.

Good customer experience is a consequence of the culture of your business. Customers are the reason your company exists, so make them the center of how you do business.

If you are not an extremely successful, well-funded startup business or a hugely profit-making corporation with budgets so big that you can afford to blow meaningless money on anything you like, you might view employee engagement as a thing you can take or leave.

However, staying away from employee engagement ideas that work is not a strategy itself. It is a passive move that does not work in your favor and leaves you with no proactive multiple-variable plan B.

How do you engage your employees when you look down that payroll list and feel that throws money at the problem?

Read on for a few ideas to get you started.

1. Encourage Employees to Take Breaks

When it comes to employee engagement, one of the best things you can do is encourage your employees to take breaks. This gives them time to recharge and come back to work with fresh energy. There are a few ways you can do this.

Allow Flexible Break Times

Employees should be able to take a break when they need it, not just when it’s scheduled.

Create Break Rooms

Make sure there are comfortable places for employees to relax and take a break. This could be a lounge area with chairs and magazines, or a quiet room with comfortable recliners.

Offer Break Time Activities

Provide things for employees to do during their break, like yoga classes, massages, or game rooms. This will help them relax and come back to work refreshed.

2. Encourage Employees to Socialize

Employee engagement ideas that work about encouraging employees to socialize, may include creating opportunities for employees to interact with each other outside of work hours. This can be done by organizing social events, sports teams, or volunteering opportunities.

3. Offer Opportunities for Growth

One of the best ways to engage employees is to offer growth opportunities. When employees feel like they are progressing in their careers, they are more likely to be engaged and invested in their work.

Some ways to offer growth opportunities include providing development opportunities, offering promotions, and giving employees the chance to take on new challenges. 

4. Make Sure Employees Feel Valued

Employee engagement is key to ensuring that employees feel valued within an organization. Here are a few ideas that can help promote employee engagement and make sure employees feel valued.

For new hires, you can give them new hire gifts. For old ones, encourage them to share their ideas and feedback openly. Make sure they feel heard and that their input is valued by implementing their suggestions whenever possible.

You can also promote a culture of appreciation by regularly thanking employees for their hard work and contributions.

Then, offer opportunities for employees to grow and develop within the company. Encourage employee input and involvement in company decision-making.

Unique Employee Engagement Ideas That Work

If you’re looking for some great employee engagement ideas that work, you’ve come to the right place. From providing employees with opportunities for growth to ensuring that your employees are comfortable, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your employees happy and engaged.

So what are you waiting for? Start implementing some of these great ideas today!

Interested in learning more about how to increase employee engagement? Then make sure to check out the rest of our business blog posts today.

A business can meet all its financial targets but struggle to progress with its culture, creativity, and employee morale.

As a small business owner, you might be talented at working in an environment of high stress, anxiety, and disengagement. But you don’t have to fail – you can make a plan to improve the happiness of your employees.

Greater employee happiness can make your culture more creative, fuel your bottom line, and boost productivity. But what are the practices that will improve employee happiness?

Here are the simple answers for yourself or for your managers or human resource representatives to follow.

Why Should Companies Value Employee Happiness?

Employee happiness can lead to positive outcomes for the company. That includes increased productivity, creativity, and innovation. Happy employees are more likely to stay with a company, reducing turnover.

They tend to be healthier. That will reduce health care costs for the company. They can help create a positive company culture. That can help attract and retain customers and clients.

What Makes an Employee Happy? 

One way to improve employee happiness is to focus on company culture. Creating a positive and supportive work environment can go a long way in making employees feel happy and valued.

Another way to improve employee happiness is to offer flexible work hours or remote options. This can help employees feel more in control of their schedule.

Finally, offering perks and benefits can also help improve happiness levels. Free food or gym memberships can significantly affect employees’ feelings about their job.

Steps to Improving Employee Happiness

Set the Foundation for Happiness

When improving employee happiness, it’s essential first to set the foundation for happiness. This can be done by providing clear expectations, goals, and development.

Create a Positive Work Environment

Promoting a healthy work-life balance is essential. Encourage employees to take breaks and use their vacation days.

Also, show your employees that you care about their well-being by investing in their development. Offer opportunities for growth and learning.

Create a path for employees to advance in their careers. Find out more on employee training.

Promote Open Communication

Let employees know their voices will be heard, and their suggestions are welcome. Establishing an open and honest communication policy creates trust and mutual respect.

Encourage Employee Involvement

Create opportunities for employees to get involved in the decisions that affect them. Give employees a voice in the company. Let them know that their opinions matter.

Recognize and Reward Employees

When employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to be engaged and productive. There are many ways to recognize and reward employees.

Some simple and effective methods include providing verbal praise, giving small bonuses, and sending handwritten notes.

Improving Employee Happiness Is Not as Difficult as You Think

Improving employee happiness is simple once you know what to do. Following the steps in this guide can create a work environment that employees will love.

You can boost employee morale and improve happiness by strengthening communication, showing appreciation, and creating a positive work/life balance. The result will be a more productive, efficient, and happy workforce.

Check out our blog for more ways to boost employee satisfaction and make your workplace more positive.

Having a savings account is a great way to be prepared for the future. Whether unexpected bills pop up or you are looking to make a large purchase, finance a house, or take your dream vacation, having the money saved up makes everything a lot easier. 

Of course, it’s not always easy to continually add to your savings. Life happens, and people with lower wages or income have additional challenges in building their savings. If you’re in a financial pinch, you could also consider taking out a personal loan or short-term payday loan, such as what MaxLend offers. Be sure to shop around and see what lenders are available and what the interest rates will be on a personal loan.

Building your savings account offers you financial security and freedom, but it’s not always easy to figure out how to invest your money. Here are five tips on how you can grow your savings, no matter how much is in your bank account.

1. Look Into An Online Savings Account

Unless you are investing in physical gold coins or other tangible money items, it can feel like all your money is ethereal and just a string of digits in a computer. It’s true in a way. So why not take advantage of this and open an online savings account? Typically this type of account produces higher interest accrument for you because the fees associated with a traditional brick and mortar bank are not applicable. 

Always be cautious and vet any online-only financial account before you invest in it.

2. Consider Switching to A Credit Union

Traditional banks are generally easy to access and have insurance and systems in place to safeguard your money. But they can also charge you hefty fees for basic services, and incur high overdraft penalties.

A credit union differs from a traditional bank because banks are for-profit institutions, while a credit union is a nonprofit entity. This means a credit union is more likely to offer better rates and lower service fees than a traditional bank, which is solely for profit — even at your expense.

3. Automate Your Savings

If you choose to have your paycheck deposited directly by your place of employment, you usually have an option on how that money is split up and into which accounts. For example, if you have a direct deposit set up, you can choose either a set dollar amount or a percentage of your wages to be deposited into a savings account, and the remainder into a checking account. 

This gives you an easy, hassle-free way to build up your savings without having to manually deposit funds into the savings account on a periodic basis.

4. Create A Budget

Sure, it might take a bit of effort and some bookkeeping, but tracking your average spending costs can highlight potential areas to cut costs and instead transfer that money into a savings account. 

One thing to investigate is automatic renewals for services, such as streaming subscriptions, software, or recurring donations. If you no longer need or want these services, or maybe your priorities have shifted and you can’t afford them, canceling automatic renewals is a great way to save money. Then you can put that extra bit of savings into your account for a later day.