Financial services are the business activities that help individuals and companies manage their money. They include activities like investment banking, asset management, credit-card companies, and more. These businesses are an integral part of the global economy. They are a major driver of economic growth and play an essential role in people’s lives.
The line that separates the different types of financial services is blurry. For example, banks can now offer a variety of different products because they can take advantage of technological advances that allow them to do so. This includes offering online checking accounts, direct deposit and pay cards to employees, and a host of other options that were not available in the past.
These new technologies also allow them to better understand the wants and needs of their customers. For instance, they can look at customer data and see how they use other products and when certain life events occur. This allows them to provide a product that will be helpful at that point in the client’s life.
In addition, financial services companies are merging to create larger financial conglomerates that can offer a wide range of different products and services to their clients. For instance, a large bank might purchase a brokerage firm or an insurance company to expand its offerings and to attract more clients.