Bank of Washington Releases Upgraded Digital Platform
December 7, 2020
Washington, MO – Bank of Washington recently released a new upgraded digital banking platform, replacing six legacy systems with one system, allowing for an omni-channel experience for both personal and business customers.
"The decision to replace our previous platforms was not one made lightly,” stated Bank of Washington President, Louis B. "Buzz" Eckelkamp, III. “After intensive and exhaustive research, working and talking through options with our customers and with developers, and ultimately identifying a number of ways that we could make banking easier for our customers, we knew that this was the direction we needed to go. This upgrade has been a multi-year project, engaging teams from across the entire bank to ensure that its features and functionalities will offer our customers the best possible experience."
"Not only does this solution offer one seamless interface across devices, this new platform also offers us the ability to be more agile, and to continuously improve, integrate, and innovate. Banking looks completely different today than it did the day in 1943 that my grandfather, Louis Eckelkamp, became a shareholder of the Bank of Washington. At that time, innovation was drive-thru teller windows and typed statements. Today, we compete directly with fin-tech companies like Venmo and Acorns, and with companies like Apple, Amazon and Google, who are setting consumer expectations for online transactions. Our goal is to always be the hometown bank, building relationships and providing financial services neighbor to neighbor, but we also need to be able to offer the digital tools that consumers expect and can access from anywhere in the world at any time of the day or night. This is where our upgraded platform becomes the framework for our future."
Eckelkamp said the upgraded platform not only provides customers with the basics they have come to expect from online and mobile banking applications with the ability to check balances, see account histories, transfer money, deposit checks and pay bills, but it also adds features that customers have never had with their bank.
"Simple things like being able to see full account numbers and routing numbers inside the platform, drag and drop home screen customization, and quick links to pay people and to move money easily are just the beginning. We are excited to now incorporate the ability for customers to set budgets, see their spending patterns, and to add in accounts from other financial institutions so that customers can get a bird's eye view of their finances all in one place," said Eckelkamp. "With this upgrade, we will also improve digital communication with our customers, connecting with them from inside the platform, directly where they connect with us."
The recent pandemic has only added to the Bank’s focus on the digital channel experience. "The importance of the digital branch has been steadily increasing over the last ten years, but in the last ten months, both consumers and businesses have greatly accelerated their shift to digital options. We want to ensure that our customers have the same positive experience digitally as they would if they walked into one of our lobbies. This upgraded platform paves the way for us to continuously improve that experience."
Additional new features are already planned for implementation over the course of the next year. "With the open interface of the platform, it makes it significantly easier and faster for us to add new digital functions. The upgraded interface is just the beginning. The design and decisions all start with our customers and their needs. We are excited for our customers to finally be able to dive into this new intuitive platform."
The Bank of Washington is the oldest and largest community bank in Franklin County, serving the community for more than 140 years. The bank has six branch locations and, since COVID, has extended hours at its Fifth Street branch and Fourteenth Street branch to be open on weeknights until 7 p.m., and extended hours on Saturdays and Sundays as well. For full hours and updates, visit www.bankofwashington.com. The Bank of Washington has also been consistently voted the No. 1 bank and mortgage lender in the Washington Missourian Readers’ Choice Awards.