Banking is an interesting industry these days. Some institutions seem to make headlines daily for good or bad reasons. You hear about them in commercials, online, on billboards. They sponsor events and put their names on stadiums. And despite how “in your face” many banks can be, there are still a lot of misconceptions about banks and bankers in general. Here are a few of our favorite fallacies:

Bankers’ hours.

You’ve probably heard the term “bankers’ hours,” which refers to some sort of cushy schedule usually involving lots of time off. Do we get holidays off? We do. But on any given day – most branches are open 10, 11 or more hours. We typically work to accommodate your schedule, and in many cases, that means working when other businesses are closed (e.g. early mornings, after 5, weekends, etc.).

Judgement zone.

We’re here to help you, not judge you. We’ve all had bumps in the road, financial and otherwise, and if you’re looking to recover from one or a series of bumps, we want to help you to the best of our ability. Most bankers are also looking to get to know you, your family and work with you through good and bad times. It never hurts to pull up a chair and ask questions.

Banking is just about business. Not relationships. 

That’s not true. We want this to be a good relationship for you and vice versa. If you’ve had a bad experience with a previous bank for any reason, let’s talk about it. Tell us what happened and what we can do to make it better. Any good banker will take the time to listen to you and learn about how they can make your next banking experience more positive.

Plus, it’s okay to call us, and it’s okay to make sure you have someone you know on a first-name-basis to talk to about your banking needs. In fact, when you open your account, ask for a business card. We love when you reach out to us directly. The goal isn’t to become ‘besties’ or Facebook friends, but to be available when you need us.

Banks are for adults only. 

You can bring your kids into the bank. We aren’t a library and won’t ‘shoosh’ you away. We might even offer your kids a sweet treat, with your approval, of course. Along with many other banks, we also offer savings accounts for kids and are here to help get them involved in the savings process. The earlier we can start teaching them about good savings habits, the better. So bring the kiddos along. We’ll be happy you did.

Banking is limited unless I go into a branch. 

Banking has come a long way. You can deposit checks, transfer funds, apply for loans, freeze and cancel credit/debit cards, notify us about travel and even pay someone, who lives in a completely different state, within minutes. And you can do it from almost anywhere without compromising safety and security. That’s pretty cool. Plus, you can always contact us, whether it’s online, via our mobile app or by calling our 24-hour department and speaking to someone anytime – day or night.