Banks these days are far more people-oriented than they once were. In the past, they were just cold, imposing buildings that gave us the opportunity to keep our money in a safe place. They provided lockers where our precious jewels could be kept. They allowed us to make important transactions. Redeeming checks and depositing money — these were the two main functions of the banks that lived in the days gone by. There was no advertising to bring in the customers. People went to banks because having a bank account was a sensible decision. Those who did not were told to get bank accounts.
But things are no longer the same in the world of today. The banks still perform their age-old functions of letting us deposit our liquid assets and allowing us to withdraw money. But a whole lot of new functions have also been added to their range of services. The personal loan especially, has made its presence felt. It has caught on to the fancy of a public that is keen to avail of the best. People no longer wait for years to buy their first house; mortgages now provide the way. Buying cars has been facilitated by the emergence of the cheap auto loan. Even short term financial...