ODE TO HSBC

This is our bank. Now I am not one who usually likes or praises financial institutions but this one stands out.

In 2010 as we began to plan our relocation overseas, we began to search for a banking partner. Our credit union was out. One too many times they had failed us on the simple things. placing the appropriate notification on our records to allow us to use the ATM card in banks overseas. You do not know the helpless and angry feeling when you arrive after 36 hours of air travel only to find that your ATM card is not functional in local ATM's. Then after a long distance call you rectify the problem because some clerk did not enter the appropriate information on his/her computer when requested.

So we narrowed our search to Citibank and HSBC. Both had a major presence in the US, so we could easily have our accounts moved to the bank, have pensions and other inome automatically deposited into the accounts. But HSBC stood out. Transfers between HSBC branches in different countries appeared to be back office transactions, not international wire transfers (a cumbersome, lengthy and expensive process).

So accounts were opened in NYC, brokerage accounts were opened, funds were transferred, stocks were moved and we were set up.

Now 9 months later the test began. Armed with our Premier card we walked into an HSBC branch in Malaysia. We took our number, presented our card to the banker, and were escorted upstairs into another area of the bank.. A "relationship advisor" listened to our needs and we set up an appointment for later in the week. New accounts were set up, ATM cards issued, checks printed, and credit cards were applied for.

We then linked accounts with those in the US and I watched in amazement as funds were debited from one account, converted from US dollars to MYR and deposited into accounts in Malaysia. All in the matter of minutes. No longer did I need to have travelers checks issued, or money belts around my waste as I transported cash across borders.