[scotty79]

> Also, when a bank charges me 1% for a wire transfer, they pay salaries from that money and some people buy food.

So basically they are paying bunch of people to live and consume without doing anything useful. How much power wasted is that? How do you know how much wasted day of human life costs?

[gritzko]

I just had some issues with my Dutch bank because they totally switch to the model of "mobile client + internet + paper letter once a year". They deprecate walk-in procedures. They close branches. I did not visit them for 5 years and I would not visit them for another 5, but something happened, so I had to.

My Russian bank is mobile+internet from day 1. They have no branches. They don't even have their own ATMs.

I am not sure what is the current trend in US, but my personal experience certainly contradicts your thesis.

[scotty79]

My thesis was "if the banks use 1% to pay salaries to their employees doesn't mean it's not a loss"

Maybe you meant the thesis I was responding to that banks use 1% to pay salaries.

[gritzko]

My point is: banks are not driving around trucks full of gold bars (like some other commenter suggested). These days, it is mostly electrons moving. They also minimize the number of people involved. I believe, the remaining people are doing something useful. Like answering my calls and investigating incidents, for example.