ABA Banking Journal - March 2011 - (Page 20)
PASS tHe ASPiRin The BAnkeR-TO-BAnkeR exChAnGe the Headache: Generation Y working in your bank Much has been written about Generation Y as customers, but what are you doing to work with them as employees? Add your ideas on this and all Aspirins online at www.ababj.com/blog/277.html Remedy 1: Give them room Dennis Everson, president, ag business division, First Dakota National Bank, $787.7 millionassets,Y ankton, S.D. I have facilitated strategic planning sessions within a department and purposely segregated the Y staff into their own group for discussions concerning goals, objectives, etc. They appreciated this and took every opportunity to voice their opinions from a Y’s perspective. I was impressed and found it enlightening. Remedy 2: A work in progress Jeff Wallace, CEO, Wyoming Bank & Trust, $120.6 millionassets, Cheyenne,Wyo. We’re trying to be as patient as possible, trying to downplay the differences. We are still struggling with the punctuality issue and lack of respect for deadlines. Remedy 3: Know pluses, minuses Myron Rozell, president and CEO, First State Bank of Mapleton, $45.3 million-assets, Mapleton, Iowa My experience is that Gen Y individuals have skill and talent they are anxious to have utilized in a meaningful way. They want their responsibilities clearly defined with identifiable boundaries. They want to be certain that any achievements are recognized, attributed to them, and not mistaken as anyone else’s work. They expect upper-range compensation, great flexibility for their schedules, and significant freedoms that will impress their peers. Gen Yers have a global view of the future, but my perception is that it is not focused on their future at this present employer or what they can do to help in having this employer be a positive presence in their industry. The Gen Y employee wants to be a part of it, but expects the employer to see that it takes place for them. Gen Y is not yet proficient at envisioning the results of their activities. I don’t find them reviewing their proposed action with a view to “what will the effect of this action be to other departments, other employees, other customers we serve, the company image, etc., etc.” I believe they are more focused on the “now” and just getting something marked off the list of things within the boundaries. Gen Y employees do have a place within today’s banks and can give a bank the opportunity to meet specific needs. My encouragement is to utilize Gen Y in specific areas and let them use as much skill and talent as possible. First United). In early 2010 readers were allowed to vote for their favorite story, and the winner received a $1,000 prize. We were amazed and pleased with the response. See http://mybankwildside.wordpress.com We were right back at it with our “Your Unique Moments” campaign, which featured a word-of-mouth add-on piece that distributed disposable cameras throughout our market area, encouraging users to take pictures. They then returned the cameras to the bank, for display on our Flickr page. (http://tinyurl.com/ mybankflickr )We have also used our Flickr site to post pictures taken at branch events. We have endeavored to use email marketing as a way of working with our customers, and alerting them to opportunities of participating in our social media space. And we also provide online webinars on subjects of special interest to small business. HeAdAcHe 2: What are you doing in social media? Remedy 1: Facebook and more Eric Nutter, marketing director, First United Bank & Trust, $1.7 billion-assets, Oakland, Md. Over the past few years, First United has begun to make use of the many avenues of social media as a means of connecting with customers and broader communities. A page on Facebook was developed to create and heighten awareness of the bank, post open positions, and create buzz. To date, we have more than 200 friends. We’ve also used a Wordpress blog site to invite customers to share stories on the “wild” things they had done in their lives (while keeping their finances safe with More Special Aspirin: Whose service makes you smile? chick-fil-A GreggV andaveer, president and CEO, Sooner State Bank, $145.2 million-assets,Tuttle, Okla. I always enjoy eating at Chickfil-A. Almost always when you thank them, they respond, “It’s my pleasure.” The employees’ attitudes make me believe them. It is hard sometimes with all the regulations to remember to treat your customer with kindness and respect. There’s a fine line between bankers’ natural suspicions about fraud, and cross-selling and making your customers feel like coming back. All service-related people need to remember the Golden Rule. 20 | ABA BANKING JOURNAL | March 2011
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