High‐tech or high‐touch positioning for the regional business market: the case of County Community Bank

Abstract

County Community Bank (CCB), the largest community bank in the state of Mississippi, built its success in the regional business market through relationship marketing and a high‐touch approach. However, by the mid‐1990s, CCB management began to believe that its image as “a small town bank” would be detrimental to future success. To be better aligned with new national competition, an image change was undertaken whereby the bank shifted its competitive advantage to include the area of technology, eventually becoming one of the most technologically aggressive banks in the state, and even the region. Had CCB become too product‐driven in its business‐to‐business marketing decisions, or were they still customer‐driven? Had the changes resulted in the intended outcomes? Consequently, CCB commissioned a market research study in which current business customers were surveyed. The results of this study are presented. This case ends with discussion questions that will assist in guiding the instructor and students in the interpretation of the research results and, ultimately, in making recommendations to the bank regarding how best to attract and manage business customers.