Convenience Is Important To Rural Bank Customers

Things have evolved in the world of banking over the past 100 years at Security Savings Bank. As their business has grown from one location to seven locations, and the technology has grown from paper and pencil to mobile banking. In today’s world having broadband is important to businesses like Security Savings Bank to offer the technology that customers want accessible at their fingertips. Quick and easy access at any time of day.

When you think of local community banks they are cornerstones of our small rural communities. A place where everyone knows everyone. Customers stop in to visit and make a transaction or call into the bank for information.

“Having broadband access is tremendous. Our customers want and really expect us to have that type of technology.” Brad Lane, President & CEO Security Savings Bank

But according to Brad Lane, Security Savings Bank President and CEO, “In today’s society our customers don’t necessarily want to come into the bank or call into the bank whenever they want to check a balance or loan payment. They want to be able to do it at their convenience. Quick and easy. They want to be able to look at it on weekends and evenings.

“The fact that we have all these products and services is really so our bank can be open to these customers 24 hours a day. It’s a big change from what it used to be.”

At Security Savings Bank staff and customers alike use access to the Internet to keep lines of communication open. From communicating between branch locations, efficient online training for staff, and offering account information or services to customers, broadband from WCCTA links all those pieces together.

“It is paramount that we have exceptional and dependable service. Without the type of service we get from WCCTA it would be very difficult for our customer to have that kind of online or mobile experience. They would have to come into the bank and it’s not as convenient,” adds Lane.

https://youtu.be/L7TsGRgoFB0

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe with new investments in 2020 into Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City and Lake City. www.wccta.net

WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.

Online Company Pioneers Virtual Party

For Megan Alliger of rural Gowrie, Iowa, an investment of $99 and an Internet connection in 2014 started out as a fun side business she could do while at home with her children. A farm wife and now mother of three she soon turned that opportunity into so much more. “I just wanted to kind of try the products. Younique is very mission based to uplift, empower and validate women and that really spoke to me.”

Megan Alliger, Black Status Presenter for Younique, is a stay at home mom and farm wife. She attained the top level “Black Status” by selling Younique brand cosmetics then recruiting and training over 1500 presenters through social media and an Internet connection from Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association.

Founded in 2012 Younique cosmetics is the first direct sales company to market and sell online almost exclusively through the use of social media. The Younique virtual party business model pioneered the transition from a traditional home party to the huge world of social media. To build her business Alliger communicates with her teammates, receives support and tools from corporate and corresponds with customers through social media and video tutorials while utilizing the Younique ecommerce site.

“This business is completely digital,” adds Alliger, “I can work from my phone, my laptop, my tablet. I’m always connected. The reason I am where I am is because I have a very good, reliable broadband connection.”

With the flexibility of being online Alliger can work from home while with her children or helping her husband, a grain and livestock farmer. “Working from home is what it sounds like. I am able to be home with my kids and make them breakfast and play games with them and while they’re taking a nap I can grab my phone and do whatever I need to do online. I’m doing live videos for my team, make-up tutorials for my customers and I can do that all between loads of laundry.”

By July of 2018 Alliger had turned this opportunity into quite a business as a black status presenter with over 1,500 team members looking to her for support. “I plan to expand my business and continue to grow. I have a lot of things I worry about but my Internet connection is not one of them. I have WCCTA.”

Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 16 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, and Duncombe. www.wccta.net WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.