Best Business Banking?

wiredup

Hello
I was just looking for recommendations for business banking?
Who's the cheapest, offers most and has a good online banking facility?

Any recommendation appreciated,
Thanks.

BobbyD10

I've found Ulster Bank's Anytime to have everything I require.

PRman

AIB are good but mightened have that many deals for start-up's like BOI or Halifax. I did use BOI but my bank manager didn't give a b*llox and wouldn't return my calls so switched to AIB. Ulster bank reasonably good also but don't like their on-line banking. AIB's on-line banking is excellent

boa-constrictor

We tried BOI. Their advertising listed around 8 or 10 benefits to opening a business start up current account with them and they all turned out to be non existent except for the 2 years free banking. None of the rest materialised and whenever we enquired with the branch all we got was blank faces. I emailed their business banking section and all they did was send me a return email with the name of the girl I was already dealing with in the branch.

Our contact in the branch is very snooty to deal with. Your made to feel as if your just wasting her time. Emails and letters go unanswered and the branch will do anything to deflect a request just because they appear to be short staffed. We had been negotiating a Merchant Account (for accepting credit card payments) with BOI's provider Euroconex but they decided at the last minute and without giving us any notice that they were pulling out of home based businesses. As a result we had to go to AIB. AIB needed a a letter from BOI stating that our current account was opened in compliance with the Criminal Justice Act and the official who I asked for it in BOI told us to call in and ask in the branch in College Green. As I work for a bank I told her that College Green would have no interest in fulfilling this type of request for a customer of another branch and she conceeded immediately that I was right.

The problem is that the branch staff are under serious selling pressure and they know that a start up business has to control its costs so they're not going to be able to screw you for the juicy products like keyman cover, pensions and leasing (Banks make huge profits out of these 3 types of product). As a result they're not interested.

I am going to wait until the fee free period is up on the account and then move - you wouldn't succeed in business if you were happy to pay for the crap we're putting up with.

Block (8

I've dealt with both AIB and BOI, unless you know the bank manager very well in your branch or you have a big business your much better off going to AIB.

PRman

Not surprised I'm sorry to say