During a merger, the glaringly obvious considerations include combining systems, core processing and policies. Yet bank leaders must also invest in the vital marketing, advertising and communications that keep customers and employees happy and loyal. Here’s a five-step approach to ensuring customers and employees see you in your best light during a merger.
Communicate from the inside out.
Nearly all community bankers will say their institution offers outstanding customer service. Their advertising, website and collateral materials all say it.
That’s not good enough.
Good customer service is the lowest price of entry. If you want to excel and create truly sticky relationships, designing a great customer experience will take your bank’s marketing to new levels.
You worked hard to get them in the door. What’s next?
I finally found my perfect ride. Next: the perfect car loan. I have excellent credit and several existing banking relationships. And I know many bankers through social and community activities. So I felt confident that I could get a good rate with a trusted institution.
Here’s what I learned along the way—and what it means for your bank.
I was recently in a bank lobby waiting for a teller because my online banking app wasn’t working. Two bankers were doing their best to serve the people in front of them who needed lengthy transactions… while I and another customer waited. And waited.
While this bank’s lobby was neat and clean, there was only one promotional poster to be seen anywhere. There was nothing else in the lobby for us to look at. So of course, we both reached for our phones to pass the time. This was a huge missed opportunity. This bank’s captive audience had nothing to do but look at their phones.
Here’s what they could have done instead.
If you’re working to build your retail business, you have a lot in common with many companies in the malls and shopping centers. There’s more competition than ever from across the street and across the globe. The successful retailers are innovating, building their brands and creating special promotions that make lifelong, loyal customers.
Innovative bankers can borrow from those successes to welcome new business.
