Safe and efficient banking is the cornerstone of any economy. Without a swift and secure way to transfer money, the wheels of commerce can't turn and national and international trade grind to a halt.

In order for banks to work effectively, they need to have banking systems in place that allow the safe and reliable transmission of information between the bank and its customers, other branches and the head office, and with other banks whether local, regional or international

These banking systems need to be able to handle and record billions of transactions on the local, regional and international level. The developments in computerisation over recent decades have revolutionised banking systems in terms of speed, security and usability.

For example using credit cards to make major purchases abroad 25 years ago required sending a telex to the issuing bank for authorisation and waiting for a reply. Now it's done instantaneously over computer networks. Such advances have also reduced the need to travellers’ cheques and withdrawals can now be made at ATMs in almost any country worldwide.

These technological advances have also led to the development of personal online banking. Customers can now access a whole range of banking services from the comfort of their own homes over the internet.

Sometimes before taking out a loan or a going to see someone at your local bank, it can be a good idea to speak to a financial advisor. Getting sound financial advice is always important when it comes to dealing with money. There are many websites online that can help you with your financies, such as, financial advice.co.uk , splut.com and myfinancialadvice.com. Any one of these websites will give you the advice you need about your financies.

Other than computerisation, the establishment of standards has gone a long way towards the development of efficient banking systems. Examples are BACS in the UK which allows for automatic bank debits and payments, and the SWIFT system which allows banks around the world to communicate with each other securely and accurately.