By Linda Bricco Schalk ~ The Press Editor
The Stoughton Press - Holiday / Winter 2010 Edition  www.stoughtonpress.com

               
While introducing ourselves around town, Jer and I have had many ‘Wow’ moments.  For example, “Wow, what a great downtown!” or “ Wow, Fosdal’s wheat boule is amazing!” or “Wow, the river is beautiful meandering through town!”  Perhaps the most surprising ‘Wow Moment’, was stepping into the Stoughton branch of Wells Fargo Bank, located on West Main Street.  I’ve never been in one of their community stores, although we have our home mortgage with Wells Fargo and find a lot of comfort in knowing they do not resell home mortgages.  If you’re paying attention to the recent wave of bad banking news, packaging and reselling mortgages is a huge problem. Knowing your mortgage will always be owned and serviced by the company you signed with is important.

I was impressed with the building in Stoughton.  Stepping into the entrance, I loved the beautiful rosemaling, but once in the door I was wowed!  Never been in a bank where someone yelled “Welcome!” from the teller counter.  Never had a bank offer refreshments everyday and fresh baked cookies every Friday.  Never experienced a team of bank employees who are genuinely effervescent, all the time!  I have to admit, I was a bit freaked out!  Who are these people and why are they so happy?

I had to find out what was going on, so I did some research on the company and then met with Stoughton manager, Vannesa Wallis.  From the company website, I discovered the ‘Wow Factor’ comes from the top!  To quote:  “Wow!” is as simple as a warm smile at the teller line, or the friendly, helpful phone banker who responds quickly and effectively to a customer’s question.   It can be a full profile of a customer’s financial needs or something as tactical for a commercial customer as a well-executed interest rate swap. We’re only as good as our first impression and last connection.”

Vannesa told me about her staff of a dozen+ team members and their goal to reach out to all their customers.  “I empower my team to always go above and beyond.  We want our customers to feel like they’re at home here, that they’re safe.  We take the time to sit down and talk, to help.  We’re mindful that financial situations can sometimes be scary or overwhelming.  We strive to always see what we do through our customers’ eyes.”

Vannesa has been branch manager in Stoughton for about 18 months and I would describe her as smart, professional, outgoing, warm and fun!  As I met everyone else who works here, I found them all to be very much like Vannesa.  It is this ownership of the concept of WOW which seems to have taken a community banking experience to a whole new level.  They strive to be the welcoming face of Wells Fargo and put that into action every day, with every customer.  They do this during business hours.  They do this with financial support of community programs and events, and by rolling up their sleeves to help build Habitat for Humanity homes, take part in Relay for Life, and volunteer with the Red Cross.

To quote John G. Stumpf, Wells Fargo Chairman and CEO, “At Wells Fargo, we’re committed to local decision making.  We assume the Wells Fargo people who live and work in their communities know their markets better than anyone else. They’re empowered to make lending and community involvement decisions and they have the authority and accountability to run it like they own it.” 

From a financial services menu, the Stoughton Wells Fargo offers everything anyone needs to build and enjoy a secure life.  The goal is to earn your trust as a customer and then offer everything financial for you, your family and perhaps your business.  Checking, savings, credit and debit cards; personal, home, vehicle, student and commercial lending; investments, insurance, merchant and business services, estate planning, HSA (health savings accounts) and more, are available at your hometown Stoughton Wells Fargo. Newsweek named Wells Fargo America’s “greenest” bank, for the commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and proving financial support to companies in the fore front of our new green economy.

“Together we’ll go far,” is their promise.  The company has been around for 160 years, and they’ve obviously spent the time well building a culture of service and commitment to community.  In Stoughton, an enthusiastic welcome and cookies every Friday proved it to me!

www.wellsfargo.com