When we see a customer orders checks frequently, we know they might benefit from a different checking program or use of a debit card. 

When we notice a customer keeping a large balance in a checking account, we realize we should recommend another savings vehicle.

These are just a few examples of why our CRM, or Client Relationship Management System, is so helpful both to our staff and to our customers.

In 2016, we started using a new CRM technology that allows INB to live up to its mission of “helping customers minimize financial pressures so they can live better lives.”

It starts by gathering all of our customer data in one place, so that we can better assist customers and recommend products and services they could benefit from, says INB’s CRM Coordinator Vicki Wall.

“As the banking industry evolves with more clients opening accounts and managing their accounts in real time using our INB app, we see less of our clients and their smiling faces. Just like digital banking, we want to extend that ease of banking for them when they call into the bank as well, which is why the CRM is so important,” Vicki shares.

Just One Phone Call Away

One of the most valuable pieces of INB’s CRM implementation included adding a Call Center. Today, the Customer Care Center serves as our “front lines,” enabling our branch staff to work more efficiently with customers who walk in the door.

It also means the ability to catch trends more quickly than we could when all the calls were going to our branch locations.

For example, in the past, our North Branch might have gotten a call about a debit card not working. Chatham might also have a call, and Mt. Pulaski, two calls. Now that all calls are going directly to our Customer Care Center, our staff realizes -- with four debit card calls – that we might have a debit card problem at the bank level.

With CRM, Care Center staff also often know why a customer’s calling even before the customer is able to articulate the issue. “In a recent situation, our customer care representative saw an increase of contacts, which they then researched a little further to discover it was a fraudulent event. This representative was able to get ahead of the situation before any fraudulent transactions happened,” Vicki says.

Another benefit of our CRM is simply the knowledge our staff has.

Rather than talking with several staff members to get answers about different accounts or products, today it typically takes a single call. One call is our goal because our Care Center staff can answer most questions – and if they don’t have the answer, they will get it and follow up with the customer.

Many Branches, One System

The centralized knowledge base is also important to customers who use more than one of our branches. If you live in Pleasant Plains but work in Springfield, you might bank at several locations – but you can feel confident that staff at each branch has the same knowledge base.

For instance: if you call to requests copies of your statements from a specific branch, a case is created and all staff are notified that there is something waiting for a customer. If you end up needing to stop by a different branch, your statements will still be available for you.

“We all know how frustrating it can be when we have to repeat our stories to several different representatives, or to call the bank to return a call we received but no one knows who called us,” Vicki says. “What’s so great about CRM is that we document everything we do, so that when a customer calls, we know exactly who has been in contact with them. By adding all the contacts we’ve had with the client, it helps us get to know our customers better and allows us to better assist them in a timely manner.”

You’re Not Just an Account Number at INB

Each time an employee works with a customer, they log the activity into the CRM as an “interaction.” With shared information like this, it’s simply easier to help someone.

“Our customers aren’t account numbers; we know them by their voice, and they know us by name,” says Lindsay Last, INB Customer Care Consultant. “We are building trust and creating a strong relationship with them as people, even over the phone.”

Our CRM wouldn’t be what it is today without our partnership with CSI, the company that built our CRM system within our digital platform. By working together, we continue to improve the system.

Next on the docket? We’re developing a mobile app to allow our commercial lenders access to the CRM through their smartphones, so they can assist clients on the go. 

“I believe all relationships have grown thanks to CRM. Our CRM was a great starting point of improving our relationships, and our dedicated team has gone that extra step to get to know our clients and enter those meaningful conversations they have with our clients to help strengthen our relationships,” Vicki shares. “We truly value the time and attention of all our clients, which is why we have invested into such a great system as a CRM.”