It is pretty late - past midnight actually, but things have been very busy lately. While rest of my staff is downstairs dealing with a courier who delivered a bomb, and now also poisoned a man, I am upstairs in our office with the newly appointed Branch Manager Kretind Khelem, of the Royal Counting House Dwarven District Branch.
Mr. Frostcog:
Thank you for stopping by. I am Spazzlefrock Frostcog, Editor in Chief of the Lion's Roar. And also the one who has a bit of time to talk to you in these busy days
Branch Manager Khelem:
A pleasure Sir. As you already know. Branch Manager Kretind Khelem, of the Dwarven district branch of the Royal Counting House.
Mr. Frostcog:
The Royal Counting House. I assume you don't spend your time counting?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Ahahahaha, in a way, we do. We do count coins. We are a Royal bank. Not THE Royal Bank mind you, we don't handle the Kings coffers, nor do we mint coins. But we have a lot of business with nobles and traders for instance.
Mr. Frostcog:
So not so much the common man and woman?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Few commoners have enough coin to warrant dealing with us, but technically there is no problem with someone of a more lower to middle-class income can do business with us. Deposits, loans or investments. We do it all.
Mr. Frostcog:
You are the new branch manager, Khelem, what does that entail for you and the branch office?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Hahaha, well for me personally. Less time with the wife and the kids.
Mr. Frostcog:
A blessing in disguise that?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Oh Light, Id never admit to that you sneaky journalist, my wife may read this.
Mr. Frostcog:
Hah, smart then. How long you been married?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Oh going on 12 years now. Lovely woman, amazing kids, clever, and good at counting.
Mr. Frostcog:
Few people manage to keep a marriage going for that long in this city. But perhaps I imagine our readers are more interested in the business side of things?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Of course, of course. Well there is really not much of a story here. The old branch manager, Mr. Offton retired. He had the job for a decade if not more. The job was announced internally and I applied, I used to be a day manager before, overseeing most of the transactions and transports.
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Mr. Frostcog:
And what do you plan to do different? if anything?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Some of the internal workings could be more efficient, fewer money transports to the Keep and the other branches, sure it means more coin each trip, but it also means fewer trips. And of course it means more coin stored locally, but our security measures are up to it. So I don't see it being a problem. The previous branch manager was a bit worried about it, if he could he would have walked money back and forth daily, that is just silly of course. Used to be weekly, I'm thinking bi-monthly or maybe even once a month.
Mr. Frostcog:
What do you mean that it is a higher security risk to do it less often?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Well less often means there is more coins on each trip, it also means more coin stored at the branch office. But we not had any incidents in years, I don't see why that would change. But we can save quite a bit on this change of routines.
Mr. Frostcog:
Any other changes you plan on implementing?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Charity. I think charity is something we can do better. Maybe bonbons for the kids, or something. I'll have a committee look into it
Mr. Frostcog:
Couldn't you just.. donate money to the poor? the orphans? refugees? is it necessary with a committee to find ways?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Haha, oh, haha! I get it. It is not our money you know, it is the client's money. Can't just hand that out to people. Poor or not.
Mr. Frostcog:
Surely you impose fees on the clients and make a bit of coin on that?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Of course.. of course. Employees needs wages after all, but I assure you, none of us are making fortunes.
Mr. Frostcog:
Anything you want to say to your clients? current and potential ones?
Branch Manager Khelem:
Lower fees is the main thing, I think everyone will like that.
Mr. Frostcog:
Very well Branch Manager Kretind Khelem. Thank you for your time.
Branch Manager Khelem:
Thank you for having me.