Every bank will face a moment of crisis. A customer will call in, distraught over a lost credit card. Or worse, the realization will occur that clients’ personal information has been hacked. While it is important to prevent these incidents from happening, it is just as vital to respond in the proper fashion.
According to The Financial Brand, banks have a responsibility to respond well to emergencies, in addition to improving branch security. In fact, planning for the worst is a good way to be prepared for any scenario. If a proactive approach feels right for you, here are several tips to improve bank security:
Improve your customer service
The customer experience is critical in relation to bank security. If a problem does happen, how your branch reacts is incredibly telling.
The Financial Brand recommended thinking from a consumer’s perspective. How would you act during a financial problem? What would you want out of your bank? Create a response strategy that addresses your customers’ key concerns. If they want speedy service from your representatives, make sure you are waiting and available.
“Turn your next problem into a valuable learning experience.”
Best of all, you can turn a problem into a learning experience. Any time a client calls in with an emergency, you can evaluate your response processes, your security measures and your technologies. There are many areas that may need improvement, and a real-world test is the best way to figure out which ones do.
Don’t leave anything to chance
Bank security should never be confined to one specific area of your company. It has to instead be incredibly comprehensive, spanning from your tellers to your marketing arm to your ATMs. There is never a segment that doesn’t need improved security, especially in today’s global climate.
One tool that you can use for an advantage is technology. For example, tellers should have updated cash recyclers to manage the money coming in and going out of your branches. Cash recyclers can handle money more efficiently than tellers, and they provide an additional security blanket on top of your employees. You can also implement more secure online banking measures to better suit your clients’ needs. The technology is there for a safer bank.
A broad approach can improve security
According to Bank Systems and Technology, holistic bank security should connect with other areas of the company. This business-wide strategy will help remove potentially dangerous gaps and prevent future problems. Your organization will have a harder time improving security if you have different departments operating independently.
As an added bonus, this comprehensive take on security will help endear your bank to your customers. People will see the emphasis you place on their wellbeing, and they’ll be more inclined to support and stick with your company.
“If you show customers that you care about their security, you can really build loyalty,” Brent Rickels, SVP of operations and CIO with Texas-based First National Bank of Bosque County, told the news source.
If you take security lightly, your bank – and your customers – could soon encounter widespread problems. Instead, hone in on effective strategies to shore up security for your company.