According to a study from The Harris Poll, a majority of consumers (58%) said they prefer to deal with local and regional banking providers instead of large national institutions. The top reasons for this preference included better customer service and a more personalized banking experience. When it comes to choosing somewhere to bank, bigger is not always better and there are a number of benefits to working with a local, community bank.

Form Close Relationships

Citizens Bank operates within a smaller, tight-knit community, meaning our employees often know customers from their day-to-day interactions outside of the bank. “My heart is in community banks. Working with customers long enough to see their families grow, provide their kids their first auto loan, mortgage, being part of their lives. You can’t have that in a large bank,” says Vanessa Scott, a Mortgage Loan Originator with Citizens Bank. At a community bank, forming relationships with each and every one of our customers is extremely important.

Be More Than Just a Number

Because Citizens Bank is motivated and inspired by these personal relationships, we don’t see customers as just a number as some larger institutions might. This connection to our customers and compassion for their situations allows Citizens Bank to truly offer solutions that benefit the client and their needs rather than focusing on our bottom line. “Because we get to know our customers, even the brand-new ones that walk into the bank, we are able to help more customers than say no to them,” Patti Wilson, a Branch Manager at Citizens Bank, explains.

Enjoy Local Decision Making

When you work with Citizens Bank, decisions regarding your finances are made locally unlike national institutions. Larger financial institutions might have headquarters located across the country from where you’re banking. When you work with a community bank, you will likely enjoy faster, more streamlined decisions, rather than waiting excessive amounts of time for financial answers that can have a big impact on your life, such as being approved for a loan.

And More Wiggle Room

“I work in home loans where no doesn’t always mean no,” says Rick Brinkman, another Citizens Bank Lender who takes pride in doing what he can to help his clients. “Many loans offered by other institutions are automated these days. But at Citizens, we handle them personally, so we have the ability to make exceptions. During the approval process, we will do everything we can to get a yes.”

Because Citizens serves a smaller region, we are able to customize our products better to our customers’ needs as well. You are not just a name in our system, so our team will do everything we can to help you achieve the financial outcome you’re seeking.

Citizens Can Offer What You Need

Citizens Bank offers services and products with aforementioned benefits. No matter what your financial needs and goals, Citizens Bank is equipped to fulfill them! Citizens Bank has been part of the fabric of our local Central Indiana community since 1931. And we know when you bank with us, you’ll feel the difference. We are proud to put the needs of our customers and our community first.