Recognition for customer service, overall quality, and technology and tools were accepted on June 28

FLORENCE—Florence Bank accepted three of the four potential awards for banking excellence in Western Massachusetts and took part in a panel discussion at the Bank Best Expo! at MGM Springfield on June 28.

As part of the 2019 Banking Choice Awards review by 278,359 independent consumers in a double-blind scientific study, Florence Bank came out on top in Western Massachusetts in almost every category. 

At the expo, Monica Curhan, the bank’s senior vice president/marketing director, accepted two first-place awards, for customer service and overall quality, and a second-place honor for excellence in technology and tools.

Curhan also sat on a panel of bankers whose institutions consistently rank at the top in independent consumer surveys; they discussed best industry practices. Curhan was joined by Stephen Lewis, president of Thomaston Savings Bank and chairman of the Connecticut Bankers Association; Todd Tallman, president and treasurer of Cornerstone Bank in Massachusetts; and Mark Bodin, president of New Hampshire’s Savings Bank of Walpole. 

“Every decision we make is with the customer in mind, so it’s nice to know our efforts are resonating with our customers,” said Curhan. 

The Banking Choice Awards recognize the banks that receive the highest ratings from their own customers in four categories: customer service, technology, community contribution, and overall quality.

The rankings are based upon the Banking Benchmarks®, the industry’s gold standard of customer experience measurement, conducted twice per year among hundreds of thousands of households and businesses to get their unbiased opinions of the institutions with whom they bank.  

Banking Choice Awards honored the top three institutions in each category from each region in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. 

In addition to presenting the awardees, the banking expo also gives attendees the opportunity to network with peers, discover solutions from leaders in the banking community, and learn about the latest products and services in the industry.

Florence Bank has branches in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Granby, Hadley, Northampton, Williamsburg, West Springfield, and Springfield, and it is headquartered in Florence. 

Florence Bank is a mutually-owned savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through 11 full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown, Granby, West Springfield and a new branch located on Allen Street in Springfield. Additionally, they offer 28 ATMs and a wide range of financial services including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses.  Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  

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Rankings of the 33 finalists were based on an independent survey measuring the customer experience

FLORENCE—Florence Bank recently earned all four of the top industry honors presented at the first annual Banking Choice Awards in areas such as quality and service, with recognition based on an independent survey of customer feedback.

Florence Bank took home four awards in the Western Massachusetts region at the event on April 26 at Boston’s Omni Parker House, ranking first in Overall Quality, Customer Service, and Technology, and second in Community Contribution.  

“These rankings came from an independent survey performed by a recognized leader in tracking and measuring the customer experience,” President and CEO John F. Heaps said. “It’s nice to get recognition from those we aim to serve well. I couldn’t be prouder of our employees and this achievement.”

Beverly Beaulieu, senior vice president / director of retail banking said, “It’s evident our customers truly appreciate our approach. That’s because our employees embody our mission that customer service drives everything we do.”

Florence Bank employees were among staff from 33 banks across the state at the Banking Choice Awards, developed jointly by The Warren Group and Customer Experience Solutions. The two groups collaborate with a goal to identify and celebrate financial institutions that regularly go above and beyond in serving their customers. 

The Warren Group, of Boston, is the publisher of Banker & Tradesman, The Commercial Record and Registry Review and the architect behind leading professional banking, finance and legal events and conferences in New England.

Customer Experience Solutions measures and tracks customer feedback, and administers a comprehensive, independent survey twice a year to more than 20,000 bank and credit union customers across the state of Massachusetts. The 2018 awards were based on the 10,040 responses it received, yielding 98,932 reviews and 1.5 million data points.

Florence Bank is consistently voted Best Local Bank by readers of the Daily Hampshire Gazette and Valley Advocate, and over the past four years it’s been recognized for excellence in advertising at the New England Financial Marketing Awards.

In honor of the bank’s 145th anniversary on May 6, and to show appreciation to customers, bank leaders surveyed employees for 145 reasons why staff love bank customers. To view all 145 responses, visit https://www.florencebank.com/-145-reasons.

About Florence Bank

Florence Bank is a mutually-owned savings bank chartered in 1873. Currently, the bank serves the Pioneer Valley through nine full-service branch locations in Florence, Northampton, Easthampton, Williamsburg, Amherst, Hadley, Belchertown and Granby as well as through 27 ATMs and a new full-service Banking Center in West Springfield.  Florence Bank offers a wide range of financial services including investment management through FSB Financial Group (FSBFG) to consumers and businesses.  Florence Bank is consistently voted best local bank by the readers of the Valley Advocate and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  John F. Heaps Jr. is the Bank’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Main headquarters are at 85 Main St. Florence, MA 01062. For additional information about the Bank or its services please visit www.florencebank.com or call 413.586.1300.

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