Jack E. Hopkins: Turning Vendors Into Partners With ICBA

We’ve all been there: We identify a technological or operational need in our banks, and the work to find a provider begins. That effort extends far beyond identifying a fitting, affordable solution. We also seek out a vendor who provides a real relationship and the same level of service we offer our customers.

And that’s where we may find trouble. Vendors abound, but true partners are few and far between. Yet, ICBA offers the path to finding the right fit. With ICBA Preferred Service Providers and the Corporate Member Directory, the legwork to narrow the field is already done. If ICBA has included a vendor, we know they are a source that can be trusted and one that truly “gets” community banks. 

For instance, when my bank was seeking a new operating system, we used ICBA as a primary source of potential partners. We came back from ICBA LIVE with a short list of eight to nine different firms, researched them more extensively through the Corporate Member Directory, and selected five for interviews. As far as due diligence, having access to these providers at LIVE and in the directory saved a ton of time, because we knew they already had been vetted on the front end and were legitimate companies with experience working with community banks.

We also include input from other community bankers as part of our process. When we know a colleague has used a particular vendor, we reach out to hear firsthand about their experience. Now ICBA Community has become another source of information. Increasingly, discussions about solutions and vendors are popping up, particularly relating to fraud monitoring and detection as we strive to address new and emerging threats.

In my experience, engaging ICBA Preferred Service Providers and Corporate Members leads to a deeper relationship. They know relationships are our priority, and they make it theirs as well. They strive to build connections, customizing their solutions to our individual operational flows and addressing our unique needs, and in that process, they shift from solution providers to partners. 

This demonstrates exactly how ICBA supports us. Whether we look at emerging solutions coming out of our ThinkTECH programs, learn about new technologies as part of our education programs, or identify a vendor through the directory, ICBA offers tangible ways to help our banks across advocacy, education and innovation. 

In short, ICBA makes sure we have what we need and our voices are heard. In my mind, that is the definition of a true partner.