Page 50 - The History of Watertown Savings Bank_Neat

Just a year after moving into its new building, including some consumer and commercial loans.
the bank conducted a survey among customers As a result, WSB was able to start building up the
doing business in the lobby. Of the 800 customers residential and commercial side of its business.
interviewed, the majority (68%) said they had The expansion of services and products resulted
reached the bank by automobile. in substantial growth for many of the bank’s
While most of the bank’s customers at the departments. At the same time, the advancement
time resided in Watertown, approximately one- of the bank’s technology and internal systems
third (33%) had traveled to WSB from outside were providing enhanced customer convenience.
the city limits, according to the survey. Of those The Watertown Savings Bank was in a strong
interviewed, a total of 85% said they found the position to enter the next millennium.
new location of Watertown Savings Bank to be
convenient for them.
“Never saw anything like this – it’s beautiful,”
responded one man. “I’ve been in the service and
what a pleasant surprise to see this when I came home.”

Others raved about the parking, with comments
such as “it’s much easier parking here,” and “This is a
nice set-up – very accommodating and pleasant.”
At that time, the majority of customers (95%)
said they were using the bank for their savings
accounts. A smaller number also indicated they
were taking advantage of other services, including
first-time mortgages, Christmas club accounts,
safe deposit boxes and money orders.
But that would soon change, as the result of Ralph Brouty (right) with
evolving regulations in the banking industry that WSB staff members Mike
Christie and Barbara Kellogg.
started in the late 1970s/early 1980s, opening the
door for the Watertown Savings Bank to start
offering checking accounts.
Prior to that time, savings banks in New York
could not offer checking accounts, which meant
many of their customers had to conduct their
banking business at two separate institutions.

The changes in the banking industry also
allowed savings banks to offer even more services, Ralph Brouty, surrounded by
WSB banking staff in 1977.

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