Banking on people: TCM Bank’s people-first culture key in handling pandemic disruptions

For the banking and finance sector, the pandemic ushered in a wave of disruption that forced clients and businesses of all sizes to rely on digital offerings and industry professionals more than ever. Maintaining a purpose driven people-first work culture has been instrumental for the sector as institutions contended with the uncertainty of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.

For TCM Bank, an agent bank credit card issuer for community banks nationwide,  a people-first culture was already baked into its guiding principles well before the onset of the pandemic, which proved instrumental in handling the challenges that emerged from the ongoing health crisis.

TCM Bank serves 800 financial institutions and helps meet the credit card needs of more than 320,000 customers. Its Total Card Management® solution allows community banks the ability to compete directly with national issuers while providing the high-touch customer service community banks are known for.

The bank’s people-first approach to community banking solutions has been key in meeting the needs of residents and small businesses throughout the nation during these unprecedented times. Key factors such as responsiveness, transparency, attention to detail and customer needs anchor TCM Bank’s people-first approach to serving employees, the community banking space, as well as the local community.

“We understand and recognize that our people are our greatest asset. Our enterprise is based on the success of our people. This is our recipe for meeting our business objectives,” TCM Bank President and CEO Damon Moorer told Invest:. “During this pandemic, community banks have been the nation’s economic first responders. The community bank industry quickly moved funds to where they were needed to keep the economy afloat. We were able to respond to the needs of local businesses because as relationship lenders, we have a deep understanding of our clients and communities,” he said.

TCM Bank’s guiding principles and people-first culture helped the institution stay nimble as the pandemic carried on while helping streamline decision-making processes. “Adhering to our principles gave us clarity and guidance. We took immediate steps to ensure the safety of staff and the bank’s balance sheet. We made sure we communicated frequently and with transparency. The TCM family rallied and supported one another at the highest level I have seen throughout my career,” Moorer said.

Quick decision-making coupled with its people-first approach to finding solutions allowed the community bank sector to serve the needs of businesses and clients across their footprint in a way that initially helped weather the storm but is now streamlining the recovery process.

“The economy is built on Main Street with small and midsize businesses accounting for more than 60% of new job creation. We are beginning to see signs of recovery, in part due to the hard work of the community bank industry. If it weren’t for our nation’s community banks, I do not think we would have a positive economic outlook at this point in time,” Moorer said.

In a post-COVID world, the banking and financial services space will have to continue to embrace a people-first approach when reimagining functions and services in a hybrid working model. “For several functions, working remotely offers numerous benefits. For other functions, the office environment works best. Developing an operation to tap into these strengths while reinforcing a people-first culture is going to be key. This model is very challenging for an organization as it requires developing expertise for both formats. Each format requires unique considerations to ensure cohesion, cultural progression and organizational success. Focus, assessment, continued iteration and fast failing are critical to developing a successful, hybrid operations model,” Moorer said.

For more information, visit: www.tcmbank.com