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CAPE GAZETTE, Friday, May 2 - May 8, 2003 - 89
Citizens Bank to invest $100 million in technologies
Citizens Bank - "Citizens" - re-
cently announced it will invest
more than $100 million over the
next three years to further enhance
the services it provides to its 2.4
million bank customers.
As the core component for this
significant commitment, Citizens
has signed a contract with
WebTone Technologies Inc., a
leading provider of customer in-
teraction solutions, said William
K. Wray, Citizens executive vice
president and the bank's chief in-
formation officer.
Wray said Citizens has selected
WebTone's TouchPoint solution
as the bank's enterprisewide cus-
tomer service and sales platform.
It will be installed in Citizens'
more than 850 branches across
seven states inthe New England
and Mid-Atlantic regions between
July 2003 and the end .of 2005.
This new technology will pro-
vide powerful new sales and se:
ice tools for its platform staff
(managers and customer service
representatives) at traditional and
in-store supermarket branches
throughout the region.
Through this branch automation
project, platform automation to
sales and service staff throughout
the New England banks will take
place this year, along with the 24-
hour PhoneBank. The platform
automation will'be available to the
Mid-Atlantic branches in 2004,
Tellers in all states will receive the
new TouchPoint tools, including
new computer screens and higher
quality printers, in 2004.
Citizens systems will employ
web-based technology, generally
new for banks in branches. In ad-
dition, the plafformautomation
will be implemenKl withan inte-
on architecturethat will assist
Citizens in integrating multiple
channels to mak e each customer
experience as seamless as possi-
ble.
Wlile Citizens has grown its
Fulton Financial Advisors
program earns national
brokerage award
Fulton Financial Advisors and
Delaware National Bank have an-
nounced-the Advisors' Retail Bro-
kerage Program has been recog-
nized as the best community:
based brokerage program in the
counU'y for 2002 by the Bank In-
surance & Securities Association
(BISA). BISA honored Fulton Fi-
nancial Advisors as the top per-
forming community bank broker-
age program at its annual confer:
ence in March.
The BISA award program is
composed of three annual awards:
the Community Based Program of
the Year, the Large Institution
Program of the Year and the Re-
gional Institution Program of the
Year. The criteria used in the se-
lection process were customer
service and reputation in the in-
dustry, productivity of the invest-
ment consultant staff, retention of
investment consultants d com-
pliance accuracy records.
Fulton Financial was recog-
nized for demonstrating its ability
to provide superior investment
and insurance services to cus-
tomers in the communities it
serves.
"This is truly a significant hon-
or that speaks volumes about the
exceptional quality of our staff
and their commitment to develop-
ing and maintaining a first class
brokerage program," said David
Schoffstall, president and CEO of
Fulton Financial Advisors. ''This
is an honor to be shared by the en-
tire organization."
"We are proud of our Fulton Fi-
nancial Advisors Program and the
partnership that Delaware Nation-
al Bank has with Advisors, to
bring customers our ultimate goal
of satisfaction," said Paul H. My-
lander.
Fulton Financial Advisors, an
affiliate of Fulton Financial Cor-
poration, is a $4.6 billion invest-
ment management firm offering a
broad array of financial products
and services. These services in-
clude investment management
and administration of retirement
services, trust and estate manage-
ment, brokerage and insurance
services, charitable/endowment
management, corporate trust, cash
reserve investment management
and private banking.
GEORGETOWN "
Spanish style ranch home w/bonus
suite over garage that includes 12x19
room wlfull bath: home features 3
BR plus 2 more full baths, large lot,
sold "as is." HL1963 $182,000
commitment to customer conven-
ience - allowing them to bank
when, where and how they choose
through retail branches, supermar-
ket locations, telephone banking
through its 24-hour PhoneBanks
and ATMs - branches remain the
cornerstone of relationship bank-
ing.
'`this affords our branch staffs
even greater ability to fulfill our
customers' banking needs," Wray
said. "Citizens is making a size-
able investment to expand our
customer xelationships and reward
our customers' loyalty. With the
WebTone TouchPoint solution, we
will be able to reduce further the
time it takes customers to open
new accounts, In pilot testing,
new account opening time was re-
duced by two-thirds."
IDC Financial Insights has esti-
mated that one in five customers
switched banks last year, with 45
percent of the defectors complain-
ing about poor service and another
20 percent citing perceived indif-
ference by the provider.
"With our new TouchPoint
technology, Cidzens service per-
sonnel will quickly be able to pr o-
vide customers with a full picture
of the financial services they re-
ceive from Citizens," Wray said.
"We believe this will enable us to
better meet our customers'
needs."
"Citizens clearly is dedicated to
outstanding customer service,"
said Jim Szyperski, president and
CEO of Atlanta-based WebTone.
"WebTone's combination of deep
financial service expertise, proven
delivery results and TouchPoint's
unparalleled sales and service
functionality will be invaluable to
Citizens' customers."
"We believe that investing in
initiatives to further enhance the
customer experience with Citi-
zens' legendary service makes
good business sense," said Wray.
LYNN O'DONNELL .
/
302 856 7394 ©
302 856 7328 ]
Practice primarily limited to:
Real Estate Settlements
Estate Planning and Administration
Elder Law: Guardianships, Powers of Attorney,
Medicaid Planning, MillerTrusts
Member of National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Celebrate our 100th Anniversary with us by
banking at any of our offices. And you can do most
of your day-to-day banking at any of the nearly
200 offices and 160 ATMs in our community
banking system. Just look for the Mercantile symbol
where you live, work or play.
MAIN OFFICE:
One West Church St., Selbyville 302-436.8236
BETHANY BEACH:
"Garfield Parkway &
Pennsylvania Ave.
302.537-2600
Sea Colony at Market
Place (ATM Only)
BRIDGEVILLE:
100 Laws St.
302-337.3500
CLARKSVILLE:
Routes 26 . 17
(Inside Hocker's IGA)
302-539.8505
FENWICK ISLAND:
Route I Farmington St.
302-537-2500
GEORGETOWN:
Route l13.& Alfred St.
302-855-0400
REHOBOTH BEACH:
4161 Highway One
302.226.2600
LEWES (SUMMER 2003):
Route I Kings Hwy.
Carpenter's Crossing
302.644-3030
F BALTIMORE trust
A MEMBER OF MERCANTILE BANKSHARES CORPORATION
A family of Community Banks serving Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania
t/-gSER RO
Lisa Mathena
"From Dover to the Dunes"
Office: 302-644-8656 Cell: 302-236-6232
lmathena@psre.coln
CAVE COLONY,
MILTON
Prime building loU Deed restric-
lions, 125x21S lot, LPP septic
approved. HL1964
$59,900
OWENS ACRES LOT
5.17 acres of land. No restrictions,
mobiles okay. LIP septic.
Only $58,000
HL1930
DELMAR
This older Victorian house has lots
of charm. V'mion and TLC can trans-
form this house into a home. 3 bed-
rooms, 2 baths, being sold "as is"
condition. HL1953 $67,000
SANIBEL VILLAGE
Fabulous 3BR, 2BA, 1st floor unitl Freshly
painted, appliances included, lamtal
weeks already in place
for summer. HL1962
$274,500
Looking for ideas
about where to
eat tonight?
See Cape Cuisine
on pages 104-105
OR CALL 1-888-2-GILPIN
