Financial products are at the heart of a financial service provider's business - they are what is "sold" to clients. Like any other business, therefore, a financial service provider must be market-driven and aim to identify and meet customers' needs on a profitable basis. Customers may be private individuals or businesses and their financial service needs will range from needing somewhere safe to keep surplus money to being able to borrow to meet a cash shortfall or being able to send money to a relative in a rural area. Someone providing financial services, therefore, has to decide whether to offer their customers one product or several products and how much to charge in order to make a sustainable business. |