Let me tell you a story about my banker.
When I was first starting my business (Blue Cow Marketing) back in 2010, I started to bank at Scotiabank. At the time I didn’t know anyone there. Heck, I didn’t know many people even in this town as I had just moved here.
Upon getting an appointment at my local branch, I was introduced to the business banking specialist (Chuck).
Chuck was a very personable guy. He came from a small town in Newfoundland and had exceptional people skills. That kind of down-home warm feeling you get when meeting someone was wholesome.
It didn’t take long to realize Chuck was not an ordinary banker (like others I’ve encountered over the years). Chuck was interested in you as a person. He took the time to get to know you personally as a human, not just as a client.
Over the years of banking there, every time I came into the branch to go to the tellers, if he was walking by, he would come out shake your hand and ask you how you were doing.
I’d periodically get phone calls from Chuck checking in to see how I was doing, how my son was, and wishing me all the best.
Whenever I needed anything, he would get it done no questions asked.
Not once did Chuck try to sell me anything. He was just wanting me to know he was there for me.
Almost 2 years ago I needed something and I emailed Chuck….NO REPLY.
I emailed again, NO REPLY.
So I went into the branch. I was told that Chuck had left to go work at Royal Bank and that there was a new business banking contact. I received her information and then went home to email her…NO REPLY…
Again I emailed and I finally received a reply. It was short, cold and rubbed me the wrong way.
I knew that right then and there, the value that Chuck brought to me as a human, generally interested in me first and as a client second was more valuable to me than staying at this bank.
The next day, I reached out to Chuck at his new bank and said I wanted to switch.
We made an appointment, I came in and did the application and before I left the bank, Chuck had all my accounts approved and I was in the process of switching everything to Royal Bank.
To this day, Chuck is not my banker…he is my friend.
The moral of this story is that the experience you create for your clients, the feeling you give to them, and the more genuine you are, the more valuable you are to them.
It’s sad to think that the changing of one person in a company can have such a big impact, but it’s true. I know I’m not the only one who had the same experience and followed Chuck.
Think about your business. What experience are you bringing to your interactions with your clients? How can you make them feel positive, how can you make their days just a little bit better each and every time you collide with them.
Be more like Chuck…the world needs that.
