Here is a sample of ideas and discussion topics from the Fall 2009 Idea Exchange.
Business Development
- “Straight Talk” letter series to communicate to community; started in September 2009 to counteract negative publicity at the time and possible community concern.
- Spotlight on Business each week; one business each week has a display in bank; 6 month backlog in most branches; put company name on marquee outside bank.
- Hosting business seminars every two months; almost too many attend to hold in branch.
Checking Accounts
- Made to Order Checking: Free checking account with defined features and menu of items they can choose for $2.00/month per feature — call it standardized customization. About to add $2/month fee for one free overdraft.
Compensation
- Employees own 25% of bank so this is a huge driver in their success.
Debit Cards
- Issue their own debit cards, customers have immediate access, can re-issue when necessary and don’t get lost in the mail.
Deposit Generation
- Require 25% of liquidity of loan customers of bank so significantly increased deposits.
Employee Issues
- Certification program for retail staff so can sell more services; will be tested and then part of scorecard.
Employee Incentives
- For incentive compensation, look at base pay and decide what is minimum to justify base pay then pay a percentage over the minimum — typically about 15%.
- Have deposit feature in incentive plan; about 30% now.
- Have deposit feature in incentive plan; largest percentage of plan now.
Expense Management
- Contract negotiation needs to be centralized and at a higher level in the bank.
- Looked at insurance deductibles and raised them to save money; looked at probability of loss occurring to determine which to raise.
Lending
- If customer doesn’t maintain minimum balance required by loan agreement, interest rate goes up until balance brought up to minimum; if can’t get deposits then don’t make the loan; check balances quarterly to be sure they are in compliance.
- Do lots of participations; get quarterly information from a bank; visit the projects; difficulty getting tax returns and financials.
- Spend money on specialized workout/special assets person so can focus on other parts of the business.
- SBA Lending: Get list of SBA loans; at three years the prepayment penalty goes away; contact these to see about refinancing.
Miscellaneous
- Believe in spending money to make money; can’t cut costs to prosperity.
Noninterest Income/Fees
- Raise fees fairly where you are providing services that have a value.
- Banks charging 99 cents to $3.00/month for paper statements.
- Self-insure payment protection: If involuntarily lose job, will make three payments; will collect premium plus good PR and enhances relationship.
Regulatory Environment
- Challenge is that two regulators and accountant have different viewpoints on impaired loans so trying to balance the three viewpoints.
- Regulators looking for external and internal loan review; internal on more regular basis and external to eliminate bias.
Remote Deposit Capture
- Going to launch remote deposit capture for consumers; cost is $250 per month for up to 50 customers; small initial investment; has been an easy process so far; done through Jack Henry.
Technology
- Have offered mobile banking for about 1.5 years for consumers; about to launch mobile banking for business customers; can do anything on mobile phone that can do on desktop; must use fob with rotating passcode; no problem with implementing or ongoing maintenance.