Background

As a trusted community partner serving nearly 30,000 households, First National Bank and Trust (FNBT) has always prioritized customer-focused solutions. However, a core systems conversion in 2020 disrupted their ability to manage and access data, compounding years of inconsistent reporting, manual workarounds, and limited visibility into trends, key metrics and the total view of the customer relationship.

“After the core conversion, there was no longer a good centralized focus on data or data integrity. It took us a few years and the support of senior management to recognize just how much we needed to get back to that.”

— Laura Pomerene, SVP & Director of Product Management

Challenge

• Loss of Data Functionality: The core conversion set back the bank’s established data strategy by several years. Teams defaulted to pulling their own reports from various sources, resulting in inconsistent information and inefficiency, with reports often prone to data entry errors.
• Manual Processes: Reporting, prospecting, and pipeline management were handled with spreadsheets, post-it notes, and even three-ring binders. Sales activities were tracked on paper or in people’s heads.
• Limited Visibility: Sales teams had little direct access to reporting. Assistants compiled data from fragmented sources, making it difficult to see trends or manage customer relationships.
• Operational Learning Curve: The bank’s operationally focused culture meant that moving from lists of raw data to actionable dashboards was a gradual process. Staff were used to seeing every detail rather than visual trends, so adopting a new system required patience and ongoing training.

Solution

To uphold their commitment to dependability and expert guidance, First National Bank and Trust recognized the need to invest in a formal data strategy—including the adoption of a centralized data visualization tool. FNBT launched a structured research and proposal process to identify the right partner and platform. After careful consideration, the bank selected FI Works as the foundation for its data strategy and visualization efforts. This critical step has allowed them to streamline reporting, rebuild internal trust in the numbers, and empower their teams with reliable insights to better serve customers. 

• Stepwise Adoption: The bank started with one module and gradually added more, such as the marketing module and CRM. This approach allowed staff to adjust at their own pace.
• Centralized Source of Truth:FI Works receives a daily direct feed from the core system, enabling a more complete view of the customer and their related accounts—including transactional data and key trigger milestones such as new accounts, new relationships, and maturities. This centralized approach encourages broader alignment across teams by promoting the use of a shared, reliable data source.
•  Automated Workflows: Outreach to new customers and activity tracking moved from post-it notes and binders to automated ticklers and CRM tools.
• Hands-On Vendor Support: The FI Works team provided direct, responsive support, helping the bank avoid over-customization and database sprawl. The bank values this relationship highly, noting the care and accountability FI Works brings to every interaction.

Results

While many improvements reflect both process changes and technology, FI Works has been a catalyst for measurable progress:

• Customer Retention: Improved from 88.24 percent to 92.75 percent over the past 12 months, even during a product migration intended to drive out low-value accounts.
• CD Dollar Retention: 92 percent of CD dollars retained year-to-date through May, with the weighted average rate reduced from 3.48 percent to 3.15 percent through proactive outreach.
• Commercial Loan Retention: 100 percent of commercial loans renewing year-to-date through May, with improved rates from an average of 5.64 percent to over 7  percent.
• Net Income Growth: The bank’s net income has grown by approximately 100 percent over the past 36 months.
• Operational Efficiency: Activity tracking is now transparent and collaborative. Branch managers can manage processes they previously could not see. Staff spend less time requesting data and building manual reports for tracking, and more time serving customers.
• CRM Adoption: The commercial lending team piloted the CRM module, timing its use against legacy systems. They found it took less than two minutes to enter a prospect or review the pipeline, a significant improvement over previous methods. Weekly sales meetings now include live reviews of pipeline reports and activities in FI Works.
• Improved Data Culture:. A shared reliance on consistent data across leadership and frontline teams has strengthened decision-making, increased transparency, and fostered greater collaboration.

Platform Benefits and Feedback

• Flexible, Thoughtful Design: FI Works is seen as  a flexible solution, with modules that fit actual banking processes. The marketing module enabled new campaigns like automated birthday emails, and CRM Light replaced manual activity tracking.
• Responsive Service: FI Works’ direct support and honest feedback prevent over-customization and ensure the bank’s data remains clean and usable.FI Works has consistently demonstrated a high level of responsiveness compared to many other vendors the bank has worked with.
• Incremental Progress: The bank acknowledges it is still taking “baby steps” with dashboards and visual reporting, but sees a clear path forward thanks to the platform’s flexibility and support.
• Internal Evangelizing: Success has required internal champions and a willingness to pilot, test, and train. The bank’s admin recorded FI Works sessions and attended sales meetings to drive adoption.