The Journey of Relationship Banking

Guest Blog Post

Every entrepreneur has a story to share about their journey pursuing growth. Whether they’ve just opened or been in business for years, that journey requires building relationships. When business owners focus on building relationships, there is a drive that stems from serving others more than simply selling a product. As relationships grow, the community grows and there is a greater potential for long-lasting impact. This is why Bank of Central Florida focuses on relationship banking.

Bank of Central Florida provides a personalized financial experience where proposed solutions are based off the client’s business and its goals. The application of relationship banking is reflected in three different stages: establishing trust and support, collaborating strategically, and guiding the client towards growth and success.

When a new relationship begins, a banker will start with one main question “how can I connect and help this client?” Being attuned first to understanding what the client needs fosters trust. Developing a strategic plan to achieve financial goals can be a complex process, and it is difficult to know how to move forward without understanding what a client needs.

One of Bank of Central Florida’s clients, Automotive Development Group (ADG), experiences the relationship banking difference every day. Accounting Manager Olivia Urker describes that Bank of Central Florida wants to know about the personal lives of their clients, and she feels that working with Bank of Central Florida feels like working with family, which she believes is the feel they have at ADG. Having a banker who understands a client and gets to know them is essential to a client’s financial journey.

With a trusted banker, a business owner can move into the second stage of relationship building where the banker and the business owner can collaborate on how they can achieve their financial goals. This strategic partnership requires a great amount of care and dedication. One of the ways bankers show they care is by simply returning phone calls. Communication can be critical to business deals and time-sensitive decisions. Bank of Central Florida knows the commitment it takes to advance towards growth and financial success as a team: it requires the pursuit of going beyond transactions and embracing new opportunities at every turn.

Once a banker establishes trust and develops a strategic financial plan, the banker can guide the client to propel towards growth. Even though the journey to growth can be challenging, having a partner who has the expertise to surpass many obstacles can be the difference between a business’s success and achieving it. 

Over the years, Bank of Central Florida’s CEO and Chairman of the Board Paul Noris is encouraged by the work of the Bank’s team helping clients on their financial journey. “I can remember several clients who have come back to me over the years and said, ‘Paul it’s really the relationship with our company and the allocation of capital back to us that allowed us to accomplish what we accomplished.’ And that really makes a difference for me and it really makes a difference to our employees as well.” He explains “The knowledge that we can help a client go from small to large, or to continue to grow is really core to what we want to be doing.”
At the end of the day, the journey of relationship banking is about establishing trust, building strong partnerships with the right expert, and being a guide to clients. Whatever your banking needs may be, the Bank of Central Florida team is ready to serve local businesses in Polk and Hillsborough County.

For more information, visit the Bank of Central Florida website and connect with a banking expert. 

Click here to learn hear from Bank of Central Florida from CEO and Chairman of the Board Paul Noris about The Reward of Helping Small Businesses Grow.

​Written by Bank of Central Florida, Member FDIC