MAKE MONEY Moves

 BY NORA HESTON TARTE

BAC Community Bank has taken banking to the next level with the launch of Smart ALAC. Whether accessed online or through a mobile app, this innovative tool makes financial management easier and more convenient for customers. “Smart ALAC banking is like carrying us in your pocket, allowing you to conveniently maintain that oneon-one relationship wherever you are,” says Jerry Marquez, banking services supervisor at BAC and digital guru.

When using Smart ALAC, customers are provided a dedicated personal banker, one who gets to know them and works with them regularly. They can also use the 24/7 chatbot within Smart ALAC anytime or leave a message for the personal banker after-hours. “We might not get back to you at two in the morning,” says Jerry, “but it will definitely be first thing in the morning of the next business day. Just like texting a friend.”

“Smart ALAC separates BAC from other institutions by providing customers the option to walk into a branch without physically walking into a branch,” Jerry says. “You have it all at your fingertips. Our video conference and chat features put us face-to-face with customers wherever they are, plus the ability to securely upload and share documents back and forth saves the customer so much time.”

It all feeds into the company’s bigger mission of relationship banking. Introducing Smart ALAC keeps BAC at the forefront of innovation without losing the personal touch the business was built on. “Technology is only getting better and BAC continues to make sure that the next ‘best thing' in banking’ is always within reach for our customers,” Jerry says. “Smart ALAC, along with the many other digital services we offer, makes it simpler and more convenient for our customers to make those money moves. That is why we are, ‘Banking.

Always Connected.’”

Smart ALAC works in conjunction with the other money moving tools that are quickly becoming standard practice in the banking community, and even with a reputation as a smaller community bank, BAC isn’t shying away from the innovations heralded by big corporations. In addition to Smart ALAC, the newest tools include Interactive Teller Machines (or ITMs). “Both of these services feature the ability to talk with a local banker face-to-face through video,” Jerry says. “Depending on the location, we have ITMs outside of our branches, inside our lobbies, and at drive-thru facilities.”

“At the end of the day, we know our customers are always gearing up to make their next money move,” Jerry says. “And we are here for it.”