New York Community Bancorp, Inc.
Company: New York Community Bancorp, Inc.
Company Description: New York Community Bancorp,Inc. is currently the 21st largest bank holding company in the nation and a leading producer of multi-family loans. The Company operates two bank subsidiaries- New York Community Bank, a thrift, with 241 locations in Metro New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida and Arizona; and New York Commercial Bank, with 34 branches in New York City, Westchester county and Long Island
Nomination Category: Solution Provider Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Training Practice of the Year
Nomination Title: Wanted: Big Fish
Tell the story about what this nominated organization has achieved since the beginning of July 2012 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
Do you ever go to your bank branch? Use an ATM? With today's technology, our deposits are usually made automatically and our purchases are made with plastic - either by credit card or a debit to our account. If someone writes you a check - not so bad - use your smart phone to snap a picture of it and voila! it's deposited. Use cash? Write checks? Speak to a Teller? Heck no. Unless...you want a loan, a credit card, a mortgage. And usually only then, if you prefer to do that face to face, with a person who will shake your hand, offer you a seat, maybe even ask about the family.
As bankers, especially community bankers, we want to know our customers. There is a bank on most corners. There is opportunity to apply online for a checking account, a CD, a loan. We know you can conduct your banking anywhere that your laptop or iPad goes, 24/7.
So, what's an actual flesh and blood banker to do? We go fishin'!
Those of us in the brick and mortar banking industry ponder this daily. It's one thing to get customers to walk into the Bank. We can advertise and provide such amazing products and service to our existing customers that they tell others. We work very hard to do exactly that and more! Now, we are teaching our bankers how to fully capitalize on each and every customer who does walk into the Bank. We are giving them the skills to seize every opportunity to catch a big fish, by building customer relationships.
New York Community Bank introduced the Building Customer Relationships Workshop in May 2013, with these learning objectives:
-Identify the benefits and value of building customer relationships
-Effectively use the Relationship Selling Process
-Recognize and complete the Needs Assessment Form
-Successfully complete a Call Planner for Follow-up Calls
-Implement the Building Customer Relationship Process with Every Customer Every Time
By utilizing the six steps of our original Relationship Selling Process, we have the core ingredients to build customer relationships. This workshop describes in-depth, the art of information discovery. It teaches how to gain respect and trust, how to use open-ended questions to obtain information that allows us to fully understand a potential customer's financial situation and recommend suitable solutions. From there we must respond to any objection, close, and then perhaps most importantly, follow up. We emphasize knowing our customers, updating information on file as it becomes available, and touching base at appropriate intervals so that we are there with solutions as soon as a new need arises. We are there, always with a line in the water, patiently waiting for the 'big fish'!
Customer survey results reveal the following trend:
Average Voice of the Customer SCORE
May 2013 - 83.2%
June 2013 - 85.0%
July 2013 - 86.5%
Aug 2013 - 87.7%
Sept 2013 - 91.5%
It isn't too often we see the immediate impact shown here. By giving our team the tools they needed - that rod & reel - they successfully utilized their sales and service skills to build customer relationships, and as a result, caught plenty of BIG FISH!
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Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:
Robert P. Gillespie, Executive Vice President and Corporate Director of Employee Development & Training at New York Community Bank, has held a wide variety of positions in Human Resources, leadership and employee development. Over the years, his focus has been in the areas of staffing and development of talent throughout the organization, starting with the internal and external customer focus and customer experience. He has developed and delivered numerous topics in his field of expertise.