Mozo logo

the mozo blog

Money musings, financial commentary plus the rambling wit and
wisdom of the team from Mozo - Australia's money info zone

Eurovision, Mozo style!

By Yash Murthy 16 May 2011 5:10pmbanking, Mozo, UncategorizedTag: > > > > > > > >
If you’re unaware, Eurovision is an annual song contest involving national representatives from across Europe and this yearly combination of power ballads, bloc voting and unadulterated kitsch is one of the highlights of my year! 

In quite the upset, this year’s winner was Azerbaijan, a fact that a former Mozo staffer (who was actually born in the capital, Baku) no doubt relished. Nonetheless, I thought it’d be a good idea to showcase some of the European financial providers we host here on Mozo and see how they’ve been represented in the contest in recent times.

I’ve used ‘Mozo Reviews’, Australia’s only customer review database for financial products, to rank the top providers of European heritage. The ranking is based on the provider’s overall customer rating, a figure calculated as an average of all reviewers’ submissions in the ‘overall rating’ field.

So, without further ado, welcome to Mozo’s Eurovision spectacular!

1. The Netherlands (ING Direct & Rabodirect)

With overall ratings of 8.8 (ING Direct) and 8.5 (Rabodirect) respectively, these Dutch powerhouses are Mozo royalty, both taking home coveted People’s Choice Awards last year on the back of popular and innovative savings and term deposit products. The Dutch Eurovision entrants however, failed to live up to their impressive brethren, coming dead last in the second semi-final. Nonetheless, the singer does manage to sport a nifty Tony Montana-inspired number…

2.  Greece (Beirut Hellenic Bank)

I know Beirut Hellenic Bank originally hails from Cyprus, but as we already have the Bank of Cyprus to come and Hellenic as a term covers Greece, I thought we could blur the geographic boundaries a little – blocs aren’t limited to voting you know! Formerly known as Laiki Bank, Beirut Hellenic bank’s savings and term deposits have gleaned them an overall rating of 7.5 on our site, putting them in second place. As for Greece’s Eurovision number this year, I found it to be a pretty alien combination of genres that didn’t really grab me. I’m clearly no harbinger for European taste however, as Greece managed to come in at 7th overall. Nonetheless, have a squiz at last year’s excellent ‘Opa!’ instead, a personal fave of mine.

3. Germany (Allianz)

A customer rating of 7.4 for heavyweights Allianz has driven Germany into 3rd place on our countdown. Their 2011 Eurovision entry didn’t lack pedigree either – Germany actually came into this year’s Eurovision as reigning champions and hosts and for only the 3rd time in history last winner’s came back to defend her title. Her subdued number this year left her languishing in 10th place, so let’s take a look at the catchy ditty that won her the gong back in 2010.

4. Cyprus (Bank of Cyprus)

With a rating of 6.8, Bank of Cyprus comes in at number 4 this year, despite strong support for their term deposit and bank accounts. Cyprus’ Eurovision entrant was of similar stock, coming in at second-last in semi-final two. It’s well worth watching mind you, if only for the general gravity-defying and the big change-up at 1:17…

5. United Kingdom (Virgin Money)

The big shock comes from the UK. Surprisingly, Branson’s boy’s come in last on our list with a rating of 5.7. Despite Virgin Money’s customer-friendly image, customers seem to be savaging them across the board on both their savings and credit card offerings. It’s a lowly position that’s been shared by their Eurovision counterparts in recent times. The UK came in at 11th this year after coaxing former boy-band superstars, ‘Blue’, to front up. It’s an improvement on last year’s embarrassing last place, but still well short of expectations. Whinging about bloc-voting to no doubt ensue.

Finally, for those curious about the winner’s performance, here’s this year’s winner. Not my cup of tea, but hey, who am I to judge? This one’s for you Nijat.

Inspired to make your voice heard? Go on and review your bank here!

Comments (0)

Rate of Origin

By Yash Murthy 16 June 2010 4:19pmbanking, competition, MozoTag: > > > > > > >

State against State. Mate against Mate. It’s a line that epitomises rugby league’s annual showcase of interstate rivalry, underscoring the passion and pride on display between the NSW cockroaches and the cane toads from Queensland. With rugby league’s annual State of Origin series now decided, it’s time to bring back the financial biff and pit the states head on!

Since Origin is about representing your state, community and people, we’ve decided to use what consumers have said about their banks hailing from each particular state to create an overall picture. So using the 30,000 bank reviews you’ve submitted, it’s time for Mozo’s annual ‘Rate of Origin’. State against state. Rate against rate.

With 7371 reviews behind them and big players like Westpac, Macquarie and St. George as well as no less than 4 credit unions on our list of the top 10 Australian banks in the side, NSW comes in as strong favourites. As always, Queensland are the underdogs, conceding a significant numerical advantage in both number of reviews (2416) and number of providers (10 to NSW’s 15). They’re led by Queensland stalwarts like Suncorp, Bank of Queensland and their sole representative in our top 10, CUA.

With the NSW camp already shattered and in turmoil after losing their fifth straight origin series, it will come as another body blow to the state and their footballers that NSW is getting dusted not only on the field but also in their wallets. NSW banks put up a solid if unspectacular average overall rating of 6.91, led by strong performances by Teachers Credit Union and the Greater Building Society. However, with old hands Suncorp and Bank of Queensland ably steering them round the park and strong efforts from CUA and Heritage Building Society, the banana benders have stormed home with an overall rating of 7.34 to claim the Origin title.

The real difference between the sides was the abject performance of Westpac, whose rating of 6.7 was the catalyst to NSW’s demise. If you remove Westpac from the equation, NSW’s rating rises to 7.25, a mere drop goal away from victory. NSW will be looking for Westpac to pick up their game over the next year to avoid the pain and humiliation of another Rate of Origin defeat.

So as the dust settles and the xxxx’s are cracked in bank head offices around Brisbane and wider Queensland after another fiery clash between these two interstate rivals, I implore all Origin fans out there to get behind your state and rate your bank to give your state a shot at Origin glory next year!

Comments (4)