Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

Things get complicated really fast in today’s world. I work part-time for my son and his partner who own a business in New York City. They are considering changing banks because they think they might get better service from a different provider.

But it’s not as easy as strolling over to the competitor bank and opening an account. What I’ve learned in researching what’s involved is that there is a lot involved.

My son’s business is a virtual retail store, which accepts all major credit cards whose charges are then automatically deposited in the company’s current bank account. So we’d have to alert the credit card companies that we’re switching banks. Furthermore, my son’s company pays its bills and its payroll electronically. So we’d have to alert those companies to subtract the funds from the new account instead of the old. Then there’s the application process, canceling the old line of credit, switching the automatic debits, establishing a new line of credit; and it’s no wonder businesses often stay where they are rather than go through the difficult process of getting better suppliers.

But we’re a determined bunch. We don’t want to be held captive because of the bureaucracy involved. In fact, that’s why I was hired. It’s my job to do the necessary research, not only on banks but also on credit card processing companies, insurance plans, shipping alternatives and the myriad aspects of the business side of the business. And what kind of business is it? Go to www.fredflare.com and find out.