Business View Magazine | September 2022

113 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 9 for a lot of folks to do business. We are not in Raleigh, or Charlotte, or in Atlanta. So being in these small rural communities, a lot of our large competitors have begun to distance themselves. But we are here, and I think the community sees that we are committed, and they see our importance to this area. We are a small business, like a lot of our customers, and so they want to do business with a small business. Those reasons are very important to people, as to why they want to bank with us.” Aside from the investment in technology required for remote work, Lumbee Guaranty Bank has also invested in efficiencies like Zelle, a digital, person-to-person payment service which was rolled out in 2021. Clients also have the ability to add their Lumbee Guaranty debit and credit cards using a digital wallet app. “We have upgraded our mobile and our online banking services to be able to transfer funds, acquire balances, get balance alerts and those sorts of things more easily,” reports Chavis. “So we are constantly trying to reinvest in technology, because we know that we are not going to be on the cutting edge of the latest technological developments in banking, but we certainly don’t want to get behind.” He maintains that this investment in technology allows the bank to stay relevant and competitive, while it is still the personal touch and excellent service that keep clients engaged. “That is really the only way that we are able to differentiate ourselves. That is what we hang our hat on. If you come here, and do business with us, you are not going to be a number, you are going to be an important customer. That is just simply where we focus our energy, through providing the best possible service that we can. We feel like that is what separates us from the competition.” Looking to the future, Lumbee Guaranty Bank is committed to remaining independent, carrying on the original mission to serve southeastern North Carolina. “That is goal number one,” says LUMBEE GUARANTY BANK