After nearly two years of planning and preparation, Farmers State Bank in Dwight has launched online banking, giving customers a new way to manage their accounts while preserving the personal service that has long defined the community bank.
Amy Oleen-Naaf, president of Farmers State Bank, said the service became available April 23. Customers may now access their accounts through the bank’s website or through a mobile app available for Apple and Android devices. The service allows customers to view accounts, loans, certificates of deposit and IRAs, and to make transfers between their accounts at Farmers State Bank.
The rollout has been gradual. Because the bank had not previously collected email addresses for all customers, staff members are updating customer information and helping depositors enroll as they come in or call. Oleen-Naaf said that approach also allows the bank’s five-person staff to give customers the attention they need as they learn the new system.
Customers who have signed up have been pleased with the new service, she said. Many have been waiting for the convenience of online access, especially those who value Farmers State Bank but no longer live close enough to make in-person banking easy.
The bank plans to add bill pay, also known as CheckFree, and an external transfer option that will allow customers to transfer money between Farmers State Bank and another financial institution. Mobile deposit is also a future goal, but Oleen-Naaf said the bank is taking the process one step at a time.
For a small community bank, the project was a major undertaking. Oleen-Naaf said the bank had hoped to have online banking available earlier, but the behind-the-scenes work took longer than expected. Develop-ing mobile apps required additional security checks and verification through Apple and Google.
In one example, the bank was asked to provide proof of its existence as a financial institution. Farmers State Bank is more than 100 years old, and some of the requested documents were so old Oleen-Naaf worried about placing them through a scanner.
Security was one of the bank’s highest priorities in moving forward. Oleen-Naaf said Farmers State Bank does not cut corners when it comes to technology and cybersecurity. The online banking service includes multifactor authentication, which requires a second step, such as a code sent by text or email, before access is granted.
“Just because someone has your name and password doesn’t mean they’re going to get through,” she said.
The new website https://dwightfsb. com was also created with the bank’s identity in mind. Oleen-Naaf built the website herself and said she wanted it to be simple, easy to navigate and reflective of Farmers State Bank. Most of the photos on the site were taken inside the bank, giving the website a local feel rather than a generic appearance.
Oleen-Naaf, a third-generation banker, said the investment in online banking will help Farmers State Bank continue serving families whose relationship with the bank has lasted for generations. While the bank is adding digital access, it still values in-person relationships and prefers to open new accounts face to face whenever possible.
“We value knowing our customers and their faces,” Oleen-Naaf said.
The new online banking service gives Farmers State Bank customers modern convenience while allowing the Dwight bank to remain true to its role as a small, local institution.