Citizens is your one bank for life

Jason Winter
President

By Jason Winter
Citizens State Bank President

Recently, a customer in her 80’s stopped in the bank for help. She received a check in the mail and didn’t know what it was for or why she received it. She needed help verifying if this was a legitimate check or just another fraud scheme. The bank employee who helped her did the necessary research and was able to determine what the check was for and that it was in fact “good.”

I was told about this situation a few days later and it got me thinking about how our approach to banking helps different groups of people. We are not just a bank for the 30 – 55 age demographic. The way we do things, we really can be your bank for all stages of life.

For the younger generation, once they get their first job, they’ll also need a checking account and debit card. Like most other banks, we have all the technology they need including an easy-to-use phone app with mobile deposit. We have the ability to link the child’s account to the parents in online banking and on the app to make it easy for you to help monitor the account. This has worked really well for parents of college students too! While we understand the importance of technology, what sets us apart is we invest in people you can actually talk to instead of investing in a chatbot for our website that attempts to answer your questions. I feel the formula for quality customer service is pretty straightforward. When you call Citizens during normal operating hours, you should expect a person to answer the phone and for our staff to have the appropriate knowledge and expertise to help with your situation.

For the people looking to buy a home, build a home, or refinance a home, we have you covered. Our home mortgage team has the experience to make this complicated transaction seem smooth. Unlike the rest of the mortgage world, the staff at Citizens is not paid on commissions and will not be delivering the hard sales pitch to get you to sign on the dotted line. Our approach is the opposite in that we believe transparency is key to long-term banking relationships. We will provide you multiple options, educate you along the way, and let you choose the option that is best for you.

For the business owners and farmers, our lending decisions are made locally by people you know. We can tailor a loan to meet your needs and we’re also experts with programs offered through SBA and Farmer Mac. We use common sense underwriting and have the flexibility to work with you as your needs change.

For the people in their retirement years, we offer everything above, and we also offer advice. It’s a daily occurrence that we have a customer relying on the bank to provide a service to help them navigate life.

Our accounts are set up in a simple manner where we aren’t trying to play the gotcha game so we can charge fees. Our internet banking allows access to accounts 24/7 so you can move around and still have a hometown bank. And our staff remains accessible and knowledgeable for the times you need to talk to a real person.

While customers’ lives may change, Citizens still has banking covered for all stages of life.