Saw a number of posts here inquiring for currencies, loans, mortgage, money transfer, investment solutions, etc also complaining about long queue and poor services. Thought I should share my experience. recently opened an account with Standard Chart Bank, Shanghai and they are able to provide wide variety of services catering to my banking needs (saving and investment accounts, currency exchange, loan etc) with minimum queue time (like 5 min or totally no queue? I have ever waited 2 hours in local bank!) the bank also provides extensive market info. I do think most of the foreign banks here (HSBC, SC, DBS, etc are some big names) are more customer friendly than local banks as their targeted customers are mainly at priority banking level. Chinese banks usually have way too much local customers squeuzing at the branch!

If any of you are interested in banking at stand chart, could try to contact my banker Celine at +86 15O 211 O78 83 (shall not give much detail here due to forum restriction but just adv for her)