4 Reasons Why You Need a Local Business Banker

If you own a business, you know the value of personal relationships. Whether you’re in retail, services, manufacturing, or any other sector, knowing your customer or client by name is priceless.

But what about the services your business uses? Does your banker know your name? Do you know theirs? Do you even have a banker? Or do you just have a bank?

When it comes to business banking in South Carolina, we believe there’s a lot of business sense in having a personal relationship with your business banker. Here, we’ll explain precisely why.

A business banker is responsive

When it comes to your business’ finances, there are no insignificant goals and no small emergencies. Time is always of the essence, whether you’re experiencing payroll issues, need advice on an equipment loan, lease or repair, or if you’re looking to expand.

When you start a relationship with one of out SAB business bankers, they’ll get to know your business. The’ll come see it for themselves. You can count on them to pick up the phone when you call and work proactively to help you find or tailor a solution that fits your business.

As a community bank, SAB and our lending team are equipped to execute quickly because decisions are made locally.

Your SAB banker has the ability to loop in other experts at the bank to gain input and consensus. Because your banker can align the lending team on the front end, your loan will proceed quickly and smoothly through approval.

The response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of the community bank’s ability to act with more agility for their clients. While many national banks limited Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications to existing customers, community banks rose to the occasion.

• Community banks made more loans as a share of assets.
• Data suggests community banks made more loans to smaller businesses that employ fewer workers.
• Community banks made more loans per bank employee than large institutions.
  • Source: CSBS

Thanks to the round-the-clock dedication of SAB’s lending team, we’re proud to have approved nearly 200 PPP loans during April 2020 alone.

Your SAB banker lives in the same community as you

Every region in the country has a unique mix of industries and culture, but South Carolina is a world all its own, steeped in tradition and history. There’s no other place like it in the country.

For example, South Carolina brims with small businesses. Many of them have been handed down from generation to generation, some for over a hundred years. Those businesses mean something to the families they belong to and the communities they thrive in.

Our bankers understand that significance because they live in those communities, too. They have a vested interest in seeing your business and community succeed. They have the ability and authority to assess the full picture of your business, beyond just the numbers. The products and services of SAB at large are specifically designed to excel in the South Carolina market.

When you do business with SAB, your funds stay in the community where it will help grow the local economy.

See how SAB is serving some of South Carolina’s fastest-growing areas.

A business banker has local knowledge and connections

With an SAB business banker, you’ll never have to wonder if your banker is thinking about your business between meetings. A local business banker works proactively as your economic liaison to the broader community.

Especially in South Carolina, where labor shortages and inflation are trending concerns that directly affect small businesses, having a banker who is part of the local business ecosystem is a priceless asset. This web of localized partnerships works to further strengthen the local economy and make the community more resilient for the future.

• They can help with equipment loans, leasing, and repairs.
• They can help connect you to local vendors, suppliers, attorneys, accountants, etc.
• They can help with business referrals and partnerships.
• They can help you align banking goals with tax goals.
• They can help you plan strategically for local events (road closures, festivals, seasonal demographic shifts, etc).

Your business banker can also act as your VIP pass to other functions of the bank. If you need to buy a home, finance a personal purchase, or start investing for retirement, your SAB banker can introduce you to other helpful members of their team. Together, these professionals can work in sync to bring your goals for the future to life.

Meet our South Coast VP, Len Howell, who carries on our culture of relationship banking in Charleston, Hilton Head, Beaufort, and Bluffton.

SAB bankers tailor advice to your specific needs

You’re already an expert in what you do. You shouldn’t have to know the meticulous intricacies of lending and financing in order to move your business forward. Our bankers will become intimately acquainted with your business, and act as a sounding board as your business grows.

They aren’t just order-takers. They’re your sounding board, confidant, and financial strategist.

Our local business bankers will listen to your needs and use their deep expertise and knowledge of your business to suggest a path forward that both meets the short-term demand and puts you in a good position for the long-term. They’ll get to know you, your priorities, and a broad range of factors that bear on your financial decisions.

See how we can help you secure the perfect financing option for your next goal.

Tailor-Made for the Carolina Coast

We’ve all heard it said that business isn’t personal. At SAB, we know that’s not true. For many of our clients, their business is their life’s work. We pride ourselves on helping them succeed today and gain peace of mind for the future, no matter what that future holds.

Curious to learn about local South Carolina business bankers serving your neighborhood? Contact or stop by a branch in your area.

Here’s a list: 

• North Strand: https://southatlantic.bank/bank-north-strand/
• South Strand: https://southatlantic.bank/bank-south-strand/
• Charleston: https://southatlantic.bank/bank-charleston/
• Lowcountry: https://southatlantic.bank/bank-lowcountry/

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