lev-os Managing Private Banking Reviews
Structures private banking relationship reviews covering service quality assessment, fee benchmarking, product utilization, and ongoing strategy alignment for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients.
When To Use
- Annual or semi-annual relationship review with a private banking provider
- Evaluating whether to consolidate, add, or terminate a banking relationship
- Benchmarking fees and service levels against market alternatives
- Assessing whether banking services remain aligned with the client's evolving wealth plan
- Responding to a service failure, fee increase, or change in relationship manager
Inputs To Gather
- Relationship overview: Bank name, relationship tier, tenure, assigned RM, and account types (deposit, credit, custody, FX, trust services)
- Fee schedule: All explicit fees (custody, wire, advisory, trust administration, credit facility) and implicit costs (spread on FX, lending margin over benchmark)
- Service inventory: Products and services currently utilized vs. available under the relationship tier
- Performance data: Lending rates obtained, deposit yields, investment performance (if managed), and execution quality metrics
- Client objectives: Current financial plan priorities — liquidity needs, credit requirements, estate planning, cross-border considerations
- Competitor proposals: Any alternative term sheets or proposals received for benchmarking
- Issue log: Outstanding service issues, escalations, or unresolved requests from the review period
Workflow
Map the relationship structure
- Catalog all accounts, facilities, and services under the relationship
- Note total relationship balances (deposits + AUM + credit outstanding) — this drives negotiating leverage
- Identify the contractual tier and confirm whether current balances qualify for the stated tier [VERIFY]
Benchmark fees and pricing
- Compare each fee line item against at least two peer institutions or industry surveys
- Calculate all-in cost of credit facilities (margin + unused fees + any collateral drag)
- Flag any fees that have increased since the last review or that exceed benchmark medians
- Note fee waivers or rebates currently in effect and their expiration dates [VERIFY]
Assess service quality
- Review RM responsiveness: average turnaround on requests, escalation handling, proactive outreach frequency
- Evaluate platform capabilities: digital access, reporting quality, API/data feeds, multi-currency support
- Document any service failures or missed SLAs during the review period
- Rate service across dimensions: responsiveness, accuracy, proactivity, problem resolution
Evaluate product utilization and gaps
- Compare services used against the full suite available at the current tier
- Identify underutilized capabilities (e.g., securities-backed lending, FX hedging, fiduciary services)
- Flag services the client needs but the bank cannot provide — potential reasons to add a second relationship
Align with wealth strategy
- Confirm the banking relationship supports current financial plan priorities (liquidity, leverage, estate, philanthropy)
- Assess whether upcoming life events or transactions (property purchase, business sale, generational transfer) require new banking capabilities
- Review credit facility headroom and covenant compliance against projected needs
Formulate recommendations
- Provide a clear retain / renegotiate / replace recommendation with supporting rationale
- If renegotiating: list specific asks (fee reductions, rate improvements, service commitments) with target benchmarks
- If replacing: outline transition plan including account migration sequence, credit facility refinancing timeline, and continuity risks
- If retaining as-is: specify next review date and interim monitoring triggers
Output
The review report should include:
- Relationship summary table: Bank, tier, tenure, total balances, number of accounts/facilities
- Fee benchmarking matrix: Each fee line item with current cost, benchmark range, and variance flag
- Service scorecard: Ratings across quality dimensions with brief evidence notes
- Product utilization map: Services used vs. available, with gap annotations
- Strategy alignment assessment: How the relationship supports or falls short of current wealth plan objectives
- Recommendation with action items: Retain/renegotiate/replace decision, specific next steps, responsible parties, and deadlines
Quality Checks
- All fee figures are sourced from actual statements or schedules — no estimates without [VERIFY] tags
- Benchmark comparisons use current market data from comparable institution tiers and relationship sizes
- Service quality ratings are supported by specific incidents or metrics, not subjective impressions
- Credit facility analysis accounts for all costs (margin, fees, collateral requirements, covenant restrictions)
- Recommendations are actionable with clear ownership and timelines
- Confidential client data is handled per the institution's data governance requirements [VERIFY]
- Any regulatory considerations (e.g., cross-border banking, FATCA reporting, sanctions screening) are flagged where relevant [VERIFY]