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8 Ways to Improve a Customer's Digital Banking Experience
Your customers expect a lot from your website, your app and other digital experiences. But how can community banks focus on what will really be useful to customers, rather than the latest shiny...
How Cloud Banking Benefits Customers
Customers don’t often see the inner workings of how cloud technology simplifies the banking process, but they can certainly experience the perks that come with it.
How to See the Value of Customer Complaints
No one likes customer complaints, but they can provide a wealth of information that can improve both your community bank and your customers’ experience.
Jim Reber: Returns, in Total
A wide range of market prices requires analysis.
Step-by-Step Succession Planning for Community Banks
Community bankers and other experts offer a guide to succession planning that'll ensure a seamless transition and future success for the bank and its customers for years to come.
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust and the Road to Succession
Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust’s succession planning professionals have built up their expertise to better serve the community bank’s retail business customers.
How to Get Ready for the FedNow Service
The Federal Reserve’s FedNowSM Service is launching in July 2023. Find tips and resources in this article that can support you on your way to instant payments.
Jim Reber: Price stability or yield? Here's both
Cash-management instruments have relative value today.
American Commerce Bank's digital-only branch
American Commerce Bank in Georgia recently launched Monesty, a “digital branch” focused on security and customer engagement.
General counsel strategies for community banks
Having general counsel is critical for community banks, but what’s the right balance between in-house and external counsel? Community bankers and legal experts weigh in on how to create the right...
Member Benefits: TCM Bank's suite of credit programs
Need help building or expanding your bank’s credit services? TCM Bank, N.A. can help your community bank grow with a well-rounded selection of personal and business credit cards.
ICBA's top-performing community banks of 2023
Through creativity, local knowledge and dedication to their customers, community banks continued to demonstrate the value of their relationship-based model in the past year.
BankOnBuffalo redefines mobile banking
BankOnBuffalo has hit the road with its new mobile bank, BankOnWheels, to meet the needs of underserved communities.
The benefits of offering virtual advisor services
Spurred by social distancing and shutdowns during the pandemic, many community banks turned to virtual financial advisory services, and these new practices are expected to stick around.
Community banks’ guide to FedNow resources
The time has come for the long-awaited FedNow launch. As community banks navigate this process, there are plenty of resources available to answer questions and provide guidance.
Excel Disasters: 5 spreadsheet mistakes that cost billions
Learn how your team can fight the hidden danger lurking between the columns: human error.
Community banks that weathered Hurricane Ian
Following the damage of Hurricane Ian last fall, Florida’s community banks rallied to help affected employees and customers, providing above-and-beyond service without missing a beat.
Jim Reber: Time to lock in?
SBICs can hit the sweet spot on the yield curve.
Charles Potts: Assesing potential fintech partners
Maximizing each step in the innovation journey, including the fintech evaluation process, will set you on the right path to a fruitful fintech partnership.
Union Savings Bank’s tech touch
By partnering with fintechs, Union Savings Bank has rolled out an innovative digital tool that uses AI to help customers achieve financial wellbeing.
Charles Potts: Innovation trends for 2023
As we turn the page to a new year, the innovation evolution continues. ICBA is leaning into it, bringing its ThinkTECH Accelerator program and innovation efforts in-house to provide community...
Jim Reber: Shop talk 2023
To start the year, let's listen in on a conversation with our consummate community banker.
Expanding horizons with cross-country branches
Community banks across the nation are breaking into markets outside their typical areas of operation. Here’s how four banks are successfully finding new locations, acquiring new customers and...
CEO Roundtable: Ideas for a successful 2023
We recently spoke with community bank CEOs from across the country to gain insights on how they’re proactively positioning to manage risks and take advantage of growth opportunities in the coming...
The resurgence of de novos
As the number of financial institutions have dropped, the number of de novos has started to rise. The founders of three startup banks discuss the importance of community banks to the country as...
7 smart strategies during economic uncertainty
Community bank leaders and other industry professionals provide tips for proactively tightening up your community bank’s finances, increasing revenue streams and preparing customers for what's...
Lexicon Bank: A bank that shows its hand
When it comes to supporting outliers in the Las Vegas community, Lexicon Bank knows how to play its cards.
Super apps: The rise of an all-in-one platform
Convenience is a growing desire from consumers everywhere. Across the world, people are using super apps to send messages, purchase tickets and, of course, bank online. What are they, and how can...
Can AI assist in vendor management challenges?
As community banks grow, their vendor partnerships usually also do, which can lead to challenges with organization, data security and more. To address these issues, some community banks have turned...
5 ways AI can improve customer service
AI can help solve customer pain points—but does it mean community banks will lose the personal touch they pride themselves on? As community bankers themselves tell us, the answer is no.
How New England banks are supporting the tourism industry
Welcome, leaf peepers! Now that autumn is here, it’s time to take a road trip and meet the community banks that call New England home, making an impact on their communities and helping local...
Jim Reber: New trials, new tricks
Proactive investment strategies are appearing in bank portfolios.
How to reach customers with disabilities
Some people living with disabilities eschew banking services because they feel financially underserved or physically barred. Through sensitive customer service and ADA-compliant accessibility,...
Aaron Stetter: ICBA's fall legislative outlook
Legislation addressing everything from farm lending to credit union overreach is set to go before Congress this autumn. Now’s the time to make your voice heard on the issues that affect community...
Banking Milestones: Celebrate Yesterday’s Innovations, and Embrace Tomorrow’s Opportunity
SPONSORED—Rather than being held back by aging platforms, let’s celebrate yesterday’s innovations, but look ahead towards opportunity.
Commercial real estate outlook
The commercial real estate market is changing, as demand for new construction grows along with rising costs and interest rates. How do community banks fit in the bigger CRE picture? Lenders share...
Efficiency now: 8 smart strategy tips
Fallout from recent global events presents an obstacle to generating revenue for community banks. How can they counteract these effects and maximize financial efficiency? As we enter budgeting...
How OnBoard’s Board Governance Solution Helps Banks Be Their Best
SPONSORED | First Citizens Bank, an Iowa state-chartered bank, uses OnBoard’s board management software to increase efficiency and deliver a consistent, improved process for its boards, committees,...
Jim Reber: Floating rate assets are back
Floaters are gaining popularity. Again.
Brad M. Bolton: Working through difficult times
Working through any difficulty or crisis at your community bank won’t be a walk in the park, but it may lead to an experience for which you’re truly grateful.
The DIY banking services customers expect
Prompted by the pandemic, DIY banking service offerings have grown quickly. And as consumers—especially Gen Z and millennials—continue calling for more mobile options, community banks...
How gamification can be a boon for community banks
Community banks are getting into gamification—and it’s been better for business. Introducing gaming elements into apps and company training tools can result in cost savings, increased...
Jim Reber: What we hoped for?
Community bankers wished for higher rates in 2022. And now…
Customer Understanding Deepens Relationships
SPONSORED | Investing in your tech stack has never been more important. Hear from Horicon Bank how they have positioned themselves to grow using the Total Expert platform.
Is commercial lending on the rise?
Loan providers share an infectious enthusiasm and growing optimism for one vertical’s prospects in 2022: commercial lending. Here’s how community bankers can take advantage of various...
Stealthy shopping for better service
It’s no secret why Alpine Bank’s mystery shopper program has helped the community bank meet and exceed customer expectations over the past two decades.
These Asian-American led banks are helping their communities
May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month—and these Asian American-led community banks are adding to that heritage every single day by helping bring dreams within reach.
How thrift and mutual banks are benefiting their customers
Thrift banks, otherwise known as savings and loans, focus on turning deposits into consumer mortgage loans. We take a deep dive into what lies at the heart of these community banks’ business models...
Demystifying Bitcoin and Digital Assets
SPONSORED—We sat down with Thomas Grundy for a conversation on demystifying Bitcoin and digital assets. A former regulator and compliance professional, Tom shared insights on where Bitcoin...
Charles Potts: Back-office innovation
Community bankers are embracing innovation like never before—with impressive results. But with so much emphasis placed on customer-facing products and technologies, innovating back-office...
Technology your remote and hybrid employees need
Remote and hybrid working was once the exception but, for some community bank employees, it’s now the norm. What technology is needed to keep remote workers productive, connected and, most of all,...
The top-performing community banks of 2021
Independent Banker’s annual listing top-performing community banks of 2021 alongside interviews with some of the winners. In true community bank fashion, each has its own story to tell and its own...
The future of workplace flexibility
The pandemic forced the issue of remote and hybrid working for many employees, and though challenges remain, many companies are looking to accommodate employees’ expectations. We asked how banks...
A community bank-fueled payments rail
A secure, open-loop, cost-saving, customer-accessible, multiplatform P2P payments network might sound too good to be true, but community bank consortium Alloy Labs Alliance hopes to achieve just...
How to collect positive customer reviews
When customers look up businesses online, reviews are one of the first things they see. These community bankers share how they collect positive reviews, and how to respond to negative ones.
UDAAP policy update for 2022
With a recent executive push for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to resume its enforcement efforts, we look at how banks can increase prevention, mitigate risk and, most important,...
Southern Bancorp is building wealth for everyone
As CEO of Southern Bancorp, Darrin Williams wants to promote relationships between community banks and CDFIs to create more prosperous communities.
New Trends Redefining the Role of Community Banks
SPONSORED | Discover the evolving trends that will determine your institution's long-term success.
De novos in the time of COVID
The 2008 financial crisis kept the number of de novos low for years but had started to rebound. Then, the pandemic happened. Today, de novos and beginner banks face a unique set of challenges and...