Bankers Say Institutions Are Committed to Helping Communities Through the Crisis
Steve Lowell called it a “fireside chat.” That’s how he chose to describe his efforts to reach out to customers during this time of crisis and communicate a number of key points. “With my wife holding my phone in front of me and me speaking onto the camera … we put it on our YouTube channel and sent out an e-mail blast with a link to it for our customers to get an update,” said Lowell, president and CEO of Monson Savings Bank, adding that, like the creator of the original fireside chat, Franklin Roosevelt, he used his to talk with people directly and work to calm fears at a time when many are afraid. “We wanted to assure our customers that we’re here, we’re operating, and we intend to remain here and continue operating.”