Whether you’re slowly saving up a nest egg or you’re ready to shrink your debt and eliminate it, there are lots of companies you could work with along your journey.

How do you choose the right financial partner?

1. Make sure you can get a human being on the phone. You’ll have questions when you deal with your finances. Often the best and easiest way to get answers is to talk to a live person who is ready to listen and cares about your personal situation.

It can be frustrating when calling a phone number and hearing a recording, then pushing button after button only to get another automated message. Having a reliable financial partner can make all the difference where they know you by name and not by just a number.

So as you check out various financial providers, look for one that lets you call a branch and have a friendly, real live person answer the phone.

2. Make sure you can see folks in person – and that they welcome you. Many large financial firms prefer to do business online. Even if they have some physical branch locations, big companies increasingly focus on ATMs and automated screens.

When you can learn about savings or lending options in person, look through paperwork together and ask whatever questions might pop up, you can feel comfortable making financial decisions. It’s great that all financial companies now offer some online access, like being able to begin a loan application online. But that face-to-face component is also vital. 

3. Look for a team that works closely together to help you. If you do business with folks who work as a team, they can quickly and efficiently handle anything you need. So as you look at your financial partner, whether for a personal loan or to help you save money (or both), make sure everyone acts as a team – managers included.

You deserve to interact with a friendly manager who works directly with customers and a team that follows up to make sure every detail is clear and every customer is comfortable. The whole office should be aiming to make sure you reach your financial goals.

4. Get all the details about things like interest rates and monthly payments. Make sure the financial partner you choose will respectfully talk through every detail of the savings and lending options they offer.

No question is a silly question. And the financial company you work with should never rush you through the details about your interaction with them. So test out the options: Drop by a company’s in-person office, let the folks there know what you’d like to learn about and ask as many questions as you need to feel totally comfortable. 

We always invite you to visit your local 1st Franklin Financial branch to sit down with our “Friendly Franklin Folks” or give us a call at your convenience to see if we are the right financial partner for you!