Harrow’s very own Merle Nelson celebrated an incredible 50 years of service at HSBC UK on September 6th.
Merle joined the bank in 1974 at its Curzon Street branch in the West End and has worked at 14 branches across central and northwest London. Currently, she is based at the St Anns Road branch in Harrow Town Centre.
To mark the occasion, the Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Salim Chowdhury, visited the branch to congratulate her on her long service.
Speaking to Harrow Online, and reflecting on her time with the bank and how it’s changed over the years, Merle said, “Some of the most significant changes that I have witnessed with HSBC bank are that in the old days we used to have big wooden joint doors but now we have automatic glass doors.
“Our Midland Bank operating hours used to be 9am to 3:30pm every day except Saturdays. We then changed our hours to 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, but now we have a better work-life balance of 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Our technology has evolved: in Midland Bank, we used to handwrite and record banking details within a book and files, but now we use laptops/tablets.
“Our transactions have become much faster and less complicated for customers and colleagues. Foreign money transactions used to be handled by Thomas Cook. Paying cash into your account used to take one day to appear, but now it is in your account instantly.”
Merle spoke fondly of how the bank has evolved its approach to customer service and how times have changed, “Previously, we used to have more staff in the back office dealing with admin, but now, to ensure we provide the best level of customer service to all our customers, we have more colleagues on the frontline.
Looking back at when she first began her career, Merle said, “In 1974, when I started, it was 240p to the £1, but now it is 100p to the £1. Bank notes have reduced in size and material, and we no longer have £1 notes.”
One of the highlights of Merle’s long career has been the appreciation she has received from both colleagues and customers: “My most rewarding aspect of my long-term service is the strong life-long relationships I have built with my colleagues, leaders, and customers. I am immensely grateful for the level of appreciation I have received from my Area Manager, Branch Manager, and peers over the years.
“I have huge gratitude towards all the colleagues and leaders I have worked with; they have always been extremely supportive and kind. My customers have showed nothing but love for my service. I treat all customers as if they were members of my family, supporting them during their good and bad times.
“A memorable moment for me is when I was offered a job as an HSBC Financial Advisor with a starting salary of £18k, which in those days was a lot of money. Unfortunately, I couldn’t accept the role as I didn’t drive and had two young children. I felt extremely honoured to be entrusted with such a role, and it was great for my hard work, passion for the HSBC brand, and customer service to be recognised.
Speaking about her various role and positions she said, “Over the 50 years, I have covered several roles in Midland Bank/HSBC: Cashier, Customer Service Counsellor, and Meet & Greet, which are all customer-facing. Helping customers and supporting them with their needs makes it all worthwhile.”
Offering advice to new employees starting their careers in banking at HSBC, Merle said, “I would advise new employees starting their career with HSBC to strive and achieve your goals—you need to work hard. Remain authentic in the workplace and respect your colleagues and management.
“Take HSBC training seriously and keep up with all correspondents. Decide what path you wish to take and go for it; there are many people in the organisation who will support you and want you to succeed.
She added, “HSBC is a wonderful place to work, and I consider myself blessed to be working for an organisation that has allowed me to flourish—from that young 18-year-old girl who walked through those doors in 1974, into a passionate, customer-driven employee.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
