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First Chicago Customers can Still Bank on Quality Service

Oftentimes, two well-established companies unite to form one larger, stronger company to better serve its customers, become more profitable, and offer a vast array of products and services. This is exactly what Bloomingdale Bank & Trust and Labe Bank accomplished in December 2006 when they formed First Chicago Bank & Trust. Many people do not notice mergers of this scope, but First Chicago Bank & Trust made sure its customers were informed of any upcoming changes that would affect them.

In a press release announcing the merger and subsequent name change, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William Ruh of First Chicago Bancorp – the holding company for the newly-named bank – made his expectations clear, calling the merger “a key step in (First Chicago Bank & Trust) becoming Chicago’s leading community bank.”

Matthew Gambs, Chief Operating Officer of the combined bank and President of First Chicago Bancorp, echoed Ruh’s sentiments, commenting that “based on the history and strength of these former banks, we believe that we are positioned to become Chicago’s premier independent community bank.”

So how does a business take its customers through the process of a merger? While many of the financial figures and fine-print details of acquisitions like these are held behind closed doors and are not made public, it is the other parts of the process that directly affect the customers.

Many careful decisions must be made – such as the role the merger will have on customer accounts and re-branding all the bank brochures, forms and eight locations with the new bank name - all while building a larger, more robust assortment of products and services to better meet its customers’ changing needs.

At every turn, businesses must always consider its number one asset: its customers.

For First Chicago Bank & Trust, the challenge of successfully taking its customers through the merger with the same trust and confidence it had bestowed upon them prior was not one it took lightly.

In an effort to give its customers as much information as possible, mailings were sent out prior to the merger to inform them of the forthcoming change and what to expect as a result. In addition, brochures were distributed in the branch lobbies, including the Itasca location, which serves as the bank Headquarters. These collateral pieces gave more insight on what the merger meant for the bank and for its clientele.

Juli Tatar, the bank’s Vice President of Marketing, says “Overall we have had very positive feedback from our customers regarding the merger. Many stated that they went through the merger process and name change without missing a beat, which was one of the bank’s goals - to make this process as seamless for our customers as possible.”

The merger brought much more to the bank than just a new name. Along with it came a blending of new ideas, broader product options and updated technology and services, all helping the bank to fulfill its promise of being a leading community bank in the Chicagoland area.

To date, there are a lot of positive things happening at the bank following these changes. First Chicago Bank & Trust continues to provide all the products you can find at a large bank with the customer service of a small community bank.

You can visit First Chicago Bank & Trust, which encompasses eight branches, on the Internet at www.FirstChicagoBT.com.