Most service industries think ‘yes’ and then figure out a way to make it happen. Banks and credit unions typically think ‘maybe’ and then if they can’t figure out why they can’t do something, go about the course of figuring out how to get it done. Do that all day and you too will be apprehensive to develop creative solutions.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. A financial institution that desires to be the premier partner for their clients and is solution minded, comes up with answers and then figures out how to make them compliant. And, there’s a big difference between products and solutions. The products that financial institutions market regularly have already passed the regulators’ smell test. They’re good to go. But, generic products are almost a commodity.

The best customer for a financial institution is one that relies on their relationship. They need advice. They want to learn from experiences that other customers have had. They want a partner that helps them run the financial part of their organization. Sure, some generic products might help them. But, not nearly as much as the solutions that an interested financial partner can provide.

Sell me a commoditized product and I’ll buy the way we buy commodities- by price. But, sell me on the idea that you want to be my partner and help me succeed and I’ll see the value, not the price.