The Washington Trust Co. has undergone an online makeover. The Westerly-based bank recently launched a redesigned website. Elizabeth B. Eckel, the bank’s senior vice president of marketing and investor relations, recently answered five questions about Washington Trust’s new Web presence.
PBN: How important is it to have a redesigned website? The previous version worked fine, and I wouldn’t think potential customers are saying, “I’m going to do business with Bank X because they have a great website.”
ECKEL: Yes, the previous version of washtrust.com worked fine. The redesigned site makes our online customer experience better because it is faster, easier and more provides more in-depth information. While we don’t expect customers to bank with us because we have a great website, we do want them to have the same experience and perception of us online as they do when they interact with us in-person or in-branch. We have a great reputation for personal customer service and that feeling must come through all delivery channels. The website also allows us to share our story… our history, our comprehensive product lines, and our financial strength and stability.
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PBN: What are some of the noteworthy changes to the site?
ECKEL: The site is much more user friendly and will help visitors with all of their banking needs. The most notable changes are on our home page. The rich new colors, customer testimonials, rotating promotional banners and pictures really tell our story, while the “Talk to Us” and “Account Access” tools allow customers to interact with us, or access their online accounts quickly and easily. The home page features current bank news, information about products and services, as well as community events and fun facts about the bank.
Informative icons for security alerts and site maintenance, as well as a comprehensive list of “favorite links” at the bottom of each page are also important tools for customers.
PBN: Is the work done in-house or through an outside-agency? If an agency, which one and how did that collaboration work?
ECKEL: We worked with (add)ventures in Providence on the website design… They understood our vision and made it come to life. We had several key goals for the redesign and (add)ventures delivered the design that will help us achieve them.
PBN: What has been the trend with washtrust.com usage in recent years. Is it increasing? By how much? How about the future projections?
ECKEL: Website traffic to washtrust.com has been increasing at a rate of 9 percent per year. With site enhancements and a new search engine optimization strategy in place, we expect traffic to increase at a higher rate.
PBN: How would Washington Trust prefer that customers come to the bank, through the online channel or the bank branches, which can be expensive to operate?
ECKEL: We consistently strive to provide our customers with superior service, regardless of the delivery channel. We recognize that our customers have lifestyle needs that determine how they do their banking. We want our customers to interact with the bank in a way that they feel comfortable; whether it’s online, by phone, or through one of our branch offices
