Pub. 6 2017 Issue 6

l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s 16 By Matt Little, Great American Bank SELECTING A TECHNOLOGY SERVICE PARTNER S electing a technology service partner for a financial institution is a process that may sound like a relatively simple process. Smart bankers know otherwise and will conduct a thorough vetting to avoid the costly aggravations of dealing with a poorly matched partner. They understand the necessity to look beyond the technical service offerings. While technical astuteness is critical, and likely the foremost attribute to consider, a successful, long-term relationship needs a “simpatico of cultures” to thrive. In other words, the technology partner must not only understand the technical needs of your organization, but also be in sync with the goals you have set for business growth, community relationships, and corporate culture. CalTech has invested millions into developing technology services that work for banks and recognize that financial institutions are not “one size fits all”, thus we have tailored our offerings accordingly. CalTech has also backed that investment with further investment in hiring the best people, and giving them the best training in the industry. Of course, that is only half of the equation. We believe the best way to convey our commitment to our clients is in their own words. A Perfect Match: Great American Bank and CalTech Great American Bank in Lawrence, Kansas has been a CalTech partner for over three years. They use CalTech’s Managed Service+ and EverSpace™, our hosted environment offerings designed specifically for financial institutions. Matt Little is Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer for Great American Bank. He was instrumental in the technology vendor selection for his bank, and had this to say about CalTech: “We joined the CalTech family a little over three years ago, but the search for an IT provider that truly cared about our bank’s goals was not an easy one. It’s not a simple task to determine who you are going to trust with your bank’s technology assets. During the interview process with various companies, they wanted to know exactly what we had for our system hardware and software and when current support was going to run out. They didn’t care what we had for our system because we would have to purchase everything new to be supported by the company. With CalTech, their approach with us was a very can-do attitude of ‘whatever you have, we’ll support it, and when the time comes to upgrade, we’ll give our professional recommendation.’ It was refreshing to finally come across an organization that was willing to meet us where we were at.” CalTech considers our partnership with Great American Bank to be long-term, and we invest in the relationship with that in mind. We view the bank’s success as our own and want the bank to feel we are contributing to those successes as an integral team member. Once again, Matt gave us the assurance we were hoping to hear. “The reason we continue to receive services from CalTech is the fact that they don’t go away after the paperwork is signed and the check is in the mail. They have a presence within the same circles that our bank does (KBA, YBOK, BLOK, ABA, MBA, etc.). I hear from their staff regularly just to check in, regardless of what is happening with our network. We know that CalTech cares about our company, and it’s demonstrated by the time they take to develop and maintain a relationship with anyone inside our bank that wants to have one. They listen to and assess our needs, take recommendations and feedback well, and provide us with the professional level of services that we demand. They’re available and accessible to anyone in our bank that wants and needs them, from a part-time teller all the way to the chairman of the board.” One of CalTech’s commitment goals with Great American Bank was a partnership that would provide a return on their investment. We asked Matt how we were doing in that regard: “Honestly, we wouldn’t be where we are today without CalTech. They’ve assisted us in growing our bank from a $75MM bank through a merger, and have continued growth to over $175MM in assets. Occasionally, I encourage our management team to take a step back when we’re overcoming technology obstacles and remember what we came from and who has been there to guide us through the process. We have received the return on the investment in developing a relationship with CalTech, and I would encourage any Kansas bank to reap the benefits of that relationship as well.” What makes Great American Bank’s partnership with CalTech perfect? It is a true partnership. Both sides are fully engaged in feedback, discussion, suggestions, praise, and criticism with the goal of making the relationship rewarding, profitable, and of value to the community. Matt articulated the value of recognizing each organization’s successes in this excerpt from his letter to our CEO. “We always take pride in being recognized as your first bank relationship in Kansas City, but I take even more pride in the company that CalTech continues to evolve and grow into. I read the stories and headlines about CalTech receiving the best places to work for and the best IT businesses in the nation and Texas. It makes me proud to know that we affiliate with you and your success, but I’m even more proud of the relationship that we have with your people and your staff. Exceptional IT, Real People—I’m honored to know your people. Thank you for investing in your people— both your staff and your customers. I believe that when you’re investing in your Real People, you’re investing in every one of your customers as well, so thank you for allowing us to ride your coattails as Real People. I will continue to provide referrals to CalTech using the same advice given to me. Stop the search, sign the contract with CalTech, and you’ll look back at this time of uncertainty knowing that you made the right decision. Everything is easier with CalTech.”