Mei LiuChief Operating Officer · Essays & perspective

Mei Liu / Chief Operating Officer

Three arguments from the operations floor of a rural bank

Perspectives from a life in leadership.

The latest essay

Fraud controls and customer redress5 min read

A restricted account is a decision the bank still owes an answer on

Banks are right to restrict accounts that show signs of fraud. A restriction created by the bank's own rules should be treated as an open decision with an owner, a clock and a release route the customer can use, and a board should read release times beside fraud losses.

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The archive.

Fraud controls and customer redress

  1. Fraud controls and customer redress5 min read

    A restricted account is a decision the bank still owes an answer on

    Banks are right to restrict accounts that show signs of fraud. A restriction created by the bank's own rules should be treated as an open decision with an owner, a clock and a release route the customer can use, and a board should read release times beside fraud losses.

    Open essay

Rural outlet networks

  1. Rural outlet networks5 min read

    Test an outlet closure on pension day, not on an average Tuesday

    Rural outlet closures are usually justified with average footfall and branch profit. The decision should instead be tested against the busiest day for older customers, the bus journey to the next counter and a replacement service that is in place before the doors close.

    Open essay

Small-business lending operations

  1. Small-business lending operations5 min read

    Centralise the loan paperwork and leave the judgement in the county

    A merged rural bank is tempted to centralise small-business and farm lending decisions along with the paperwork. The paperwork should move to the centre, but for first-time and thin-file borrowers the credit judgement should stay with the county loan officer who knows them.

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