Archive for: Customer Service

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Leading an Exceptional Team – What It Takes!

Leading an exceptional team is every manager’s goal, right? Unless the manager is burned out, burned up, or not well prepared.

Maybe you have some team members that need to be coached up, perhaps even coached out. Today’s customers have more choices than ever before and it’s not enough to offer high-quality products or competitive prices. Your brand is built on or broken by the customer experience. Are you building or breaking the brand at your branch?

What about the employee experience? What three words would you use to describe the work culture at your branch? Does your staff feel included? Do they have clear expectations and the training, the tools, and the coaching to deliver that customer experience? Get the tools needed to take your team to the next level.

What You’ll Learn

  • What does it mean to be exceptional?
  • Your role as the reputation builder
  • Identify and resolve team pain points
  • Benefits of engaged employees
  • Setting behavior and performance expectations
  • Coaching – what it is and what it is not
  • Key measurement success factors

Who Should Attend
Branch leaders, head tellers, and anyone working in today’s competitive branch environment will benefit from this course.

Presenter Bio
Vicki Kraai is CEO of InterAction Training. A company passionate about professional development training and education.

Kraai’s 25+ years of Community Bank experience started at the family bank in rural Nebraska, serving as a bank teller and eventually becoming CEO. Kraai’s many years of banking include credit card lending experience where she was a member of the management team that launched the Cabela’s credit card program. She has a passion for developing people for success in the financial services industry. Banker’s value Kraai’s highly engaging “been there, done that” approach to all facets of her training and speaking engagements.

Kraai shares her expertise and experience as a faculty member for State Bank Association Schools and the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, WI.

Registration Options

  • Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts – $279
  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + CD  + $140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
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Bank Ethics From The Ground Up

Ethical decisions can be challenging, but it’s important to embrace ethical choices as the repercussions impact you individually as well as your financial institution. Included in this session are best practices, and requirements as well as examples of bank bribery cases.

As a banker, you have many ethical responsibilities and challenges as you navigate your daily activities which must be conducted with the highest level of integrity. Embracing ethics includes managing your personal finances and outside activities in a manner that prevents a conflict of interest. This session will explain the components of a typical code of ethics policy including how to address accepting gifts and the expectations for compliance with the Federal Bank Bribery Law. Ethics and integrity are a must that bankers need to bring to their financial institutions. It is critical that your institution has a sound policy and provides training that reinforces the institution’s code of ethics.

Ethical decisions can be challenging, but it’s important to embrace ethical choices as the repercussions impact you individually as well as your financial institution. Included in this session are best practices, requirements as well as examples of bank bribery cases.

What You’ll Learn

  • What is the Bank Bribery Act?
  • The importance of ethics in maintaining the reputation of the institution
  • SAR reporting requirements
  • Bribery vs Gratuity – What’s the difference?
  • Sample ethics policy
  • Guidelines for compliance with the Federal Bank Bribery Law
  • Conflict of interest related to employees and directors
  • Understand the importance of a whistleblower policy
  • Accepting gifts and fees from bank customers, prospective customers, or suppliers
  • Penalties for bribery and illegal gratuity

Who Should Attend
This session is designed for all bank employees as well as those responsible for developing or testing compliance with the banks Code of Ethics Policy and the Bank Bribery Act.

Presenter Bio
Molly Stull began her banking career on the teller line while working on her undergraduate degree and has continued working in the financial industry ever since. Some of her experience includes roles in operations, business resumption planning, consumer compliance, and conducting audits. Her favorite role is ensuring that her audience, whether on the sports field or in the financial industry, understands the “why” behind the rule. Her wealth of financial knowledge and her numerous years of experience enable her to relate the material to the audience.

Registration Options

  • Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts – $279
  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + CD  + $140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
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Countdown to Beneficial Ownership Rules – Policy, Procedures, and Process

Ready, set, go! It’s time to update your beneficial ownership policy, procedures, and processes! This program will be focused on financial institutions and what you have to do to be ready for January 1, 2024.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Update on beneficial ownership rules for your implementation team
  • Training on privacy for your staff
  • Customer approval process
  • Sample policy change
  • Sample procedural changes
  • Integrating new processes into your everyday workplace
  • Many more tips and tools

Who Should Attend?
BSA Officer, Compliance Officer, Marketing Officer, Business Development Officers, and Commercial Lending staff need to get updated on the new procedures about to take place.

Presenter Bio
Deborah Crawford — Gettechnical Inc.
Deborah Crawford is the president of Gettechnical Inc., a Florida based training company. She specializes in the deposit side of the financial institution and is an instructor on IRAs, BSA, Deposit Regulations and opening account procedures. She was formerly with Hibernia National Bank (now Capital One) and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University. She has 35+ years of combined teaching and banking experience.

Registration Options

  • $279 Includes: Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts
    • Available Upgrades
      • 12 Months OnDemand Playback  + $110
      • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download + $140
      • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
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Unpacking the ACH Audit

Who performs your annual ACH Audit? Whether it is performed in house or by an outside group, you should understand what the audit is and includes.

We will review areas of the ACH Rules that are suggested as part of your ACH Audit. To be compliant with the ACH Rules, you must perform the audit annually. It does not matter the size of your financial institution or if you use a data center for your processing. Join us to discuss the areas of the audit, what you are looking for when completing it, and how to avoid common mistakes and violations.

What You’ll Learn

  • Suggested items for your ACH Audit
  • Method for auditing these items
  • What auditors should be looking for when performing the ACH audit
  • Areas that should be reviewed in an ACH Risk Assessment

Who Should Attend
Compliance, audit, operations, risk management, and senior management will gain a better understanding.

Presenter Bio
Mary Kate Cole, AAP, CAE, principal of MK Cole Consulting, has nearly two decades of bank operations experience. Kate is an experienced ACH Auditor as well as speaker on payments related topics. She was VP of the Upper Midwest ACH Association for over 15 years. At that time, she was responsible for member education, ACH Audits and problem solving as well as ACH Development projects. Kate has been active in several National ACH Association Rules Work Groups over her career. She is a popular speaker at both local and national conferences on electronic payments related topics.

Registration Options

  • Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts – $279
  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + CD  + $140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
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IRAs Part 1 – The Basics 2023

For series pricing, click here.

The IRA Basics will kick off with a review of the most common IRA terminology and how it effects IRA reporting the IRS. We will then review the forms used to establish a plan for a new customer vs. supplemental forms for existing IRA customers.

Next, we compare the plan types such as a Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and SEP IRA by discussing A–Z the rules and regulations on contribution limits, tax deductions, type of interest earned and distribution requirements.

  • When do we have to open a new set of plan documents for existing IRA customers and when do we use just supplemental forms?
  • What are the disclosures an IRA customer must receive when opening a new plan?
  • What are the new contributions limits for Traditional and Roth IRAs?
  • When can a customer deduct an IRA contribution and how does it affect our IRS reporting?
  • When is the interest really tax-free on a Roth IRA?
  • When do mandatory distributions start from a Traditional IRA?
  • How can the customer move their Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA and what are the tax consequences?”

Who Should Attend?
Any employee who is new to the bank or customer service area and needs to learn the very basic rules and regulations of IRA should attend. In addition, any experienced IRA employees who would like a ‘refresher’ on the latest ever-changing rules and regulations of IRA would also benefit from this informational webinar.

Presenter
Patrice M. Konarik is president of Sunwest Training Corp. founded over 25 years ago and is located in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, Texas. With over 35 years in the financial industry, Konarik has focused her expertise on the retirement account area and is currently providing live training and Webinars on IRAs and Health Savings Accounts on a nationwide basis. She has a BS in Management Science from New York’s Binghamton University. Many state banking associations and other organizations use her as their main source for training on these complicated topics.

Registration Options
Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $279

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
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IRAs Part 4 – Auditing Your IRA Files 2023

For series pricing, click here.

The least favorite part of any auditor’s job is to go through old, musty IRA files to see if the bank is in compliance and has all the customer information it needs. Many times when files are scanned in for imaging purposes, they are not checked first, resulting in a lot of ‘junk’ in the electronic IRA customer files.

This two hour webinar will break down the IRA process in the bank — including expertise and procedural aspects. Knowing what should be retained in your customer files and what can be discarded can help with the clean-up. When mistakes are found in the files, what are the IRS requirements for corrections with respect to IRS reporting?

What You’ll Learn

  • What are the documentation requirements to be included in the customer IRA files?
  • What disclosures must the customer receive when creating an IRA plan with the bank?
  • What happens if there is a deceased beneficiary or no beneficiary listed in the file?
  • Why is a review of the IRS reporting so important before it goes out to the IRS or the customer?
  • How far back can the bank go to correct an IRS reporting form and when is it necessary?
  • What are the 25+ most common mistakes to look for when auditing IRA files?
  • What kind of partial audits are the most crucial?”

Who Should Attend?
Any employee who is new to the bank or customer service area and needs to learn the very basic rules and regulations of IRA should attend. In addition, any experienced IRA employees who would like a ‘refresher’ on the latest ever-changing rules and regulations of IRA would also benefit from this informational webinar.

Presenter
Patrice M. Konarik is president of Sunwest Training Corp. founded over 25 years ago and is located in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, Texas. With over 35 years in the financial industry, Konarik has focused her expertise on the retirement account area and is currently providing live training and Webinars on IRAs and Health Savings Accounts on a nationwide basis. She has a BS in Management Science from New York’s Binghamton University. Many state banking associations and other organizations use her as their main source for training on these complicated topics.

Registration Options
Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $279

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
/by
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IRAs Part 3 – Distributions to IRA Owners and Beneficiaries 2023

For series pricing, click here.

The IRS has increased the required beginning age for IRA owners to begin distributions twice in the last 3 years. Every time this happens, it creates a huge dilemma and opens the door for various interpretations of the new rules – many of which are incorrect. We will address by birth year who is eligible to postpone distributions to the increased ages. Also, what happens if an IRA owner who turned 72 this year mistakenly took an RMD when they were not required to?

And then there are the beneficiaries… The three categories of beneficiaries identified in the SECURE Act of 2020 have different payout options at the death of the owner. The problem is that the IRS has changed their minds 3 times since this act was signed into law and then postponed the implementation of the proposed regulations twice. This also leads to a treasure chest of bad information and interpretation to the general public.

What You’ll Learn

  • Who can wait until age 73 to start RMDs from IRAs?
  • When does the RMD age increase to age 75?
  • How to process ‘mischaracterized’ RMDs that were taken by someone who turned 72 this year?
  • What are the payout options for non-spouse beneficiaries depending on the IRA owner’s RMD status at death?
  • When does a successor beneficiary get their own 10-year payout period?
  • Federal Withholding requirements – W-4R vs. W-4P?”

Who Should Attend?
Anyone who is remotely involved with IRAs and answering client’s questions on the old and new IRA distribution rules — especially to beneficiaries. Customer service reps, financial and estate planners, IRA operations department, tellers, call centers, and frontline personnel would all benefit from this informative Webinar.

Presenter
Patrice M. Konarik is president of Sunwest Training Corp. founded over 25 years ago and is located in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, Texas. With over 35 years in the financial industry, Konarik has focused her expertise on the retirement account area and is currently providing live training and Webinars on IRAs and Health Savings Accounts on a nationwide basis. She has a BS in Management Science from New York’s Binghamton University. Many state banking associations and other organizations use her as their main source for training on these complicated topics.

Registration Options
Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $279

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
/by
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IRAs Part 2 – Rollovers and Transfers 2023

For series pricing, click here.

One of the biggest sources of IRA customers getting letters and bills from the IRS is because of the misreporting of rollovers vs. transfers. This problem has existed for over 40 years and it’s not rocket science! The most important aspect of moving money from IRA to IRA or QP to IRA is that both the sending side and the receiving side have to code the transaction pretty much the same. When one bank codes it as a distribution and other bank code it as a transfer credit, the IRS computers explode and send out letters and bills to the customer. Many banks think they can make up their own definition of a rollover vs a transfer, but the IRS is clear in the rules and regulations when the moving of IRA funds is reported to the IRS and when it is not reported.

What You’ll Learn

  • What are the 3 most important questions when moving funds between retirement accounts?
  • How do you determine the type of issuing plan?
  • What happens when a transfer is coded as a rollover or a rollover is coded as a transfer?
  • How do we correct our IRS reporting mistakes?
  • When would the bank ever code a distribution as a rollover debit?
  • What’s the difference between a rollover and a conversion?
  • What are the rules on how many times an IRA can be moved as a rollover in a 12 month period?

Who Should Attend?
Whether you are a rookie or an experienced IRA ‘expert’, this 2-hour webinar will break down the importance of knowing the difference and how to train your personnel regarding what questions to ask when sending and receiving money.

Presenter
Patrice M. Konarik is president of Sunwest Training Corp. founded over 25 years ago and is located in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, Texas. With over 35 years in the financial industry, Konarik has focused her expertise on the retirement account area and is currently providing live training and Webinars on IRAs and Health Savings Accounts on a nationwide basis. She has a BS in Management Science from New York’s Binghamton University. Many state banking associations and other organizations use her as their main source for training on these complicated topics.

Registration Options
Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $279

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$140
    • Additional Live Access + $85 per person
/by
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IRA Annual 4 Part Series: From A–Z

This four-part series includes the following webinars. Click the dropdowns below for a complete description of what will be covered in each session. Each Webinar can also be purchased individually.

Included Webinars

Series Details

IRAs Part 1 – The Basics 2023
September 14, 2023, 10:00 am CDT
We will break down the essential rules and forms of IRA accounts. Discussing the difference between an IRA ‘plan’ vs. an IRA ‘account’ and the types of IRA products will get you on your way to building the foundation of knowledge for these often complicated accounts.

  • When do we have to open a new set of plan documents for existing IRA customers and when do we use just supplemental forms?
  • What are the disclosures an IRA customer must receive when opening a new plan?
  • What are the new contributions limits for Traditional and Roth IRAs?
  • When can a customer deduct an IRA contribution and how does it affect our IRS reporting?
  • When is the interest really tax-free on a Roth IRA?
  • When do mandatory distributions start from a Traditional IRA?
  • How can the customer move their Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA and what are the tax consequences?
  • 2023 Cost of Living Adjustments including increased contribution limits for every IRA product
  • What are the final rules on choosing the W-4R vs. the W-4P for federal income tax withholding?
  • What did the “Proposed Regulations” released in February 2022 change about the original SECURE Act effective January 1, 2020?
  • Does the new 2022 Single Life Expectancy Table apply to beneficiaries who are in existing payout?
  • Should beneficiaries of owners who died beginning in 2020 take a 2021 or 2022 death distribution?
  • What are the January notifications that must go out to the IRA customers?
  • 2023 IRA Calendar “Hot Dates”

IRAs Part 2 – Rollovers and Transfers 2023
October 5, 2023, 10:00 am CDT
Two of the most misused and abused words in the IRA world are “Rollover” and “Transfer” when moving money from IRA to IRA and from a Qualified Employer Plan to an IRA. While you may think the words are interchangeable, how these movements are reported to the IRS is as different as night and day.

  • What are the 3 most important questions when moving funds between retirement accounts?
  • How do you determine the type of issuing plan?
  • What happens when a transfer is coded as a rollover or a rollover is coded as a transfer?
  • How do we correct our IRS reporting mistakes?
  • When would the bank ever code a distribution as a rollover debit?
  • What’s the difference between a rollover and a conversion?
  • What are the rules on how many times an IRA can be moved as a rollover in a 12 month period?

IRAs Part 3 – Distributions to IRA Owners and Beneficiaries 2023
October 19, 2023, 10:00 am CDT
The last three years have brought some of the most significant changes for distributions to IRA owners and beneficiaries as we’ve seen in the last 20 years – including the most recent IRS Notice 2023-54. When owners and beneficiaries do not take their required distribution in a timely manner, it results in IRS penalties. There are easy steps to address these distribution issues.

  • Who can wait until age 73 to start RMDs from IRAs?
  • When does the RMD age increase to age 75?
  • How to process ‘mischaracterized’ RMDs that were taken by someone who turned 72 this year?
  • What are the payout options for non-spouse beneficiaries depending on the IRA owner’s RMD status at death?
  • When does a successor beneficiary get their own 10-year payout period?
  • Federal Withholding requirements – W-4R vs. W-4P?”

IRAs Part 4 – Auditing Your IRA Files 2023
October 25, 2023, 10:00 am CDT
The least favorite part of any auditor’s job is to go through old, musty IRA files to see if the bank is in compliance and has all the customer information it needs. Many times when files are scanned in for imaging purposes, they are not checked first, resulting in a lot of ‘junk’ in the electronic IRA customer files.

  • What are the documentation requirements to be included in the customer IRA files?
  • What disclosures must the customer receive when creating an IRA plan with the bank?
  • What happens if there is a deceased beneficiary or no beneficiary listed in the file?
  • Why is a review of the IRS reporting so important before it goes out to the IRS or the customer?
  • How far back can the bank go to correct an IRS reporting form and when is it necessary?
  • What are the 25+ most common mistakes to look for when auditing IRA files?
  • What kind of partial audits are the most crucial?”

Who Should Attend?
Any employee who is new to the bank or customer service area and needs to learn the very basic rules and regulations of IRA should attend. In addition, any experienced IRA employees who would like a ‘refresher’ on the latest ever-changing rules and regulations of IRA would also benefit from this informational webinar.

Presenter
Patrice M. Konarik is president of Sunwest Training Corp. founded over 25 years ago and is located in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio, Texas. With over 35 years in the financial industry, Konarik has focused her expertise on the retirement account area and is currently providing live training and Webinars on IRAs and Health Savings Accounts on a nationwide basis. She has a BS in Management Science from New York’s Binghamton University. Many state banking associations and other organizations use her as their main source for training on these complicated topics.

Registration Options
Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $1049

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $340
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$460
    • Additional Live Access + $340 per person
/by
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Digital Banking Issues – What Are the Compliance Requirements?

We are seeing a rapid shift in the way financial institutions interact with their customers and conduct business to a more remote, online delivery model. Not that these capabilities haven’t always been present, but ever since the pandemic, much more business is conducted remotely, and this is a trend we can expect to continue. What are the requirements to keep in mind when conducting business in this fashion?

What challenges exist? For starters, there are Bank Secrecy Act issues when opening accounts and maintaining relationships with customers who are never seen. The rise in electronic transactions mean increased attention to Regulation E compliance, for example, especially when it comes to handling disputes (which are expected to increase in number). The provisions of the E-SIGN Act must be followed to the letter as well. In lending, there is now the capability to originate a loan from application to closing without ever meeting the borrower (and this includes notarization). These are but a few examples of the many compliance issues at play in a remote environment. In this webinar we’ll discuss these many requirements and provide you with a comprehensive grasp of the issues involved.

What You’ll Learn

  • E-SIGN issues and requirements: what can we provide electronically and when?
  • Reg. E issues, including disputes: making sure you understand the rules
  • Identifying customers under BSA and beneficial owner requirements, as well as OFAC
  • Credit card disputes under Reg. Z
  • Handling the loan application and closing process remotely
  • Handling complaints
  • Online communication through email and social media: regulatory guidance
  • Advertising issues: reaching remote customers, including opt-out rights
  • Remote Online Notarization (RON): incorporating this into your process
  • Fair lending issues, including digital redlining
  • Privacy and information security issues

Who Should Attend?
Anyone at the institution that deals with customers in a non-in-person environment, including over the phone and/or electronically. Customer service representatives, loan officers, compliance professionals, auditors, legal staff, and management are but a few of the types of bank employees who would benefit from the information.

Presenter
Carl Pry is a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) and Certified Risk Professional (CRP) who is a managing director for Treliant Risk Advisors in Washington, D.C. Through his working career, as well as through his experience as a banking attorney and officer, he has provided a variety of regulatory compliance and financial performance services to financial institutions and other clients throughout the country. He has written extensively regarding consumer and commercial compliance, tax, audit, and financial institution legal issues, and is a frequent contributor to and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the ABA Bank Compliance magazine. He has spoken at scores of banking, compliance, and state bar associations, and has conducted training sessions for financial institutions across the country.

Registration Options

$279 Includes: Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts
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Madison, WI 53718

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