Woodsfield savings bank selects cocc for technology processing

Avon, CT, May 22, 2008 – COCC, the region’s leading provider of next generation technology services for financial institutions, today announced that Woodsfield Savings Bank has selected the company for a long term technology partnership. The Woodsfield, Ohio-based savings bank will use COCC’s next generation technology and support to expand its product offerings, increase overall efficiency and reduce the cost of its information technology service.

“COCC will give us more features and greater efficiency while cutting our overall cost,” said Michael Knuchel, CEO of Woodsfield Savings Bank. “We started our technology search with the goal of cutting the cost of processing. We concluded our search with an outstanding technology solution and support organization that understands the system overall and the customer need, not just the application they’re supporting.”

Woodsfield Savings Bank opened in 1886 as a savings & loan association serving the residents of Monroe County, Ohio. The bank remains focused on 1-4 family mortgages, which it holds rather than sells on the secondary market. Knuchel says the bank’s local lending decisions and economical closing costs have made it the number one choice for construction lending in Monroe County.

To support its growing business, Woodsfield Savings Bank is looking to expand its current facilities and its IT capabilities resulting in fewer steps and additional service advantages over its regional and national competition.

“There’s a lot to like in the COCC system,” said Knuchel. “The teller and customer service applications present the entire customer relationship – loans as well as deposits – in a consolidated view. We get pictures of each customer right off their driver’s licenses so we can recognize them right away. If there’s a problem with a customer’s account, the system automatically alerts our staff by highlighting the customer’s information onscreen.”

Knuchel added that COCC continues to pay attention to every alternative banking channel, not just the hot new ones. “Regardless of what’s going on in Mobile and Internet banking, the majority of our customers still use the telephone as their alternative to visiting the bank,” he said. “COCC has just released an enhanced telephone banking product with great convenience features like check issuing and credit card payments. I can serve my customers they way they want to be served and add the cutting edge products when the time is right.”

Conversion methodology was another important factor as well. Knuchel said that COCC’s hands-on approach won him over. “COCC doesn’t use a cookie cutter approach. They take the time to learn who we are and what services we want to provide. Then they train us on site and check back to see that we’re proficient. In a word, COCC cares.”  

Part of that caring attitude stems from COCC’s integrated support organization which covers conversions and day-to-day support from the same office. This approach creates a high level of communication between the bank and COCC’s support personnel, earning the company the highest service grades in the industry for five years running.