Long kiss goodnight

And how equally ironic that a bank so adept at bringing together modish buzzwords such as customer-centricity and that expounds profoundly on the subjects of business excellence and investment in people has let slip from its grasp the very epitome of how this can actually work in practice.

Is Lloyds TSB capable of ever engendering the kind of staff support and loyalty that C&G enjoyed? It seems doubtful - probably more than that, impossible. Not least, because despite the promotional words, the one thing that this bank seems to lack is the right focus for its care. It certainly cares about shareholder value and profits. It cares about its cottage industry of score cards and controls. But does it really care for people? Its actions suggest not. Its customer care and staff care matching neither its aspirations nor its words. A contention seemingly supported by the C&G staff experience. Learning of their destiny through breakfast television probably says it all.

Acquisition without due diligence, lending without due care, profit before people and the baby out with the bathwater - the Lloyds Banking group may be repaying the taxpayer early, but does not seem to be scoring too well on repaying staff loyalty. Tough times call for tough decisions but surely, not shooting oneself in the foot should be one of the easier ones to call.

Peter Mounty is a director of Communications Plus and former head of communications and quality for C&G