Raise the bar by caring enough to craft I CARE

When a local bank branch suffered from patients waiting in the drive-through, cars often complained of cold windows and robotic voices. After a quick survey, the branch manager decided that each teller should learn every customer’s preferred beverage. Tellers were given a small budget to purchase single-serve hot cocoas or coffees. One winter morning, Carol—an experienced teller—greeted a regular client’s car. As she rang up his deposit, she said, “Good morning, Dan. I’ve got your granulated sugar with your cocoa just how you like it—sweet!” Dan’s jaw dropped. “How did you know?” Carol shrugged. “I heard you mention it in passing last week, and I wanted you to be comfortable.” Dan responded with a wide grin and a promise to spread the word.

Within a month, this bank had the lowest complaint rate of any nearby branch and saw a 15 percent increase in drive-through transactions. Tellers posted ‘I CARE’ stories on the back-office bulletin board and shared them at morning huddles. Other branches began replicating the program, each auditioning new ‘I CARE’ ideas from diners, new accounts, and even the local post office.

When you drop the bar on service expectations, you’ll end up with less than mediocrity. But when you raise it by empowering every person closest to the customers to show they CARE in small, authentic ways, your customers become your most powerful vocal advocates. It’s not rocket science—just caring enough to notice, act, and celebrate the wins.

Catch those pain points, empower your team with permission and pocket funds to surprise customers, insist that they personalize service by learning preferences, and share success stories every week. These ‘I CARE’ steps will shift your branch from cold efficiency to memorable kindness.