CIANJ Commerce Magazine September 2020 Live | Page 26
■ Annual Best Practices Guide
Continued From Page 22
BANKING
Freedom Bank
By Matthew Carcich,
President and
Chief Executive Officer
At Freedom Bank, our employees
continue to be available
seven days a week to serve the
needs of our customers. Our team reaches out
to our customers more frequently by phone,
texts and e-mails during these uncertain
times. The challenges of meeting the increased
demands placed upon us by the effects of
COVID‐19 have affected everyone. Our bank,
almost overnight, transitioned to working remotely
and we are extremely proud of our staff
for their diligence in doing so. Everyone has
adapted to juggling the requirements of working
from home and Zoom meetings, along
with schooling children. What our employees
miss the most is the face-to-face interactions
with our customers. A customer recently said,
"I bank with Freedom because when I call on
a Sunday at 9:00 p.m., my loan officer answers
my call." That is our culture and that is why
we continue to attract new business through
word-of-mouth.
Lakeland Bank
By Thomas J. Shara,
President and CEO
We launched our three-year
digital strategy in January, and
when the coronavirus hit we
had to accelerate portions of
that strategy to meet the demands of a rapidly
changing workplace and enhance our ability
to meet the needs of our customers. I liken
the reinvention of our remote workplace to
an extreme makeover…the transformation
happened in about a month and under normal
circumstances may have taken months,
or even years to accomplish. It was a success in
part because a strong culture of respect, trust
and collaboration already existed at Lakeland.
And while technology played a crucial role in
changing how we do business, how our associates
work and how we interact with customers,
the bottom line is that we relied heavily on
the traditional practice of open and frequent
communication. This best practice has withstood
the test of time and now a modern-day
global pandemic.
M&T Bank
By Tom Comiskey,
New Jersey
Regional President
The banking industry was
already changing rapidly on
the technological front prior
to COVID‐19. The pandemic only increased
consumers’ comfort with interacting with
their bank online. I think you will likely see
that continue. We evolved to interact with
customers in new ways, especially as many
contend with economic challenges from the
pandemic. We moved quickly to identify liquidity
issues and implement M&T Bank
direct or government stimulus assistance
programs. Fortunately, some of our business
clients were in a position to provide
much-needed products (like PPE) to the market.
As their banking partner, we made sure
we supported them so they could meet that
elevated demand. Culturally, we’ve relied on
digital platforms to connect with colleagues
and move projects forward. We make frequent
use of WebEx, encourage video participation
and hold virtual get-togethers to keep
collaboration strong. It’s been fun to see kids
and pets pop in to say hello.
Continued On Page 26
Everybody in business has a story to tell. A public relations professional is an objective set of eyes who knows how to
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What Exactly Is Public Relations?
It is an invaluable tool in creating favorable public opinion. It differs from advertising in that it is an unpaid
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How Does Public Relations Pay Back Big?
Your uniqueness, your story is what differentiates you from everyone else in your field. Being quoted in newspaper
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24 COMMERCE www. commercemagnj.com
Make sure your story is told.
Contact Amy Delman
[email protected] or 201.563.4614
www.amydelmanpr.com