Rochester banks blend digital tools with high-touch service

As business owners across Greater Rochester move faster and rely more on digital tools, local banks are reshaping how they serve them.

Leaders from six regional institutions say business clients now expect seamless online capabilities paired with knowledgeable, in-person support. Their insights show how banks are modernizing both branches and technology to deliver a more efficient, relationship-driven business-banking experience.

“Today’s business clients want speed, clarity, and a real relationship with their bank. When it comes to online services, they are looking for convenience and efficiency,” said Warren Miller, business banking officer at NBT Bank. “They expect a smooth, easy-to-use platform where they can move money, approve wires, deposit checks and see cash flow in real time.”

Miller says that when business owners come into a branch, they aren’t looking simply for transactions, but expertise.

“They want someone who understands their industry and talks to them like a partner—someone who can provide advice on a big financial decision or help with real-time problem-solving, especially when something goes wrong with fraud,” he said.

He believes the physical branch experience matters more for business clients than anybody else for a few reasons, including relationships.

“Relationships are critical,” Miller said. “When a business owner or manager knows their banker and their banker knows their business, that’s how we can quickly pivot and solve unique challenges.”

Also, he has found that discussions about complex topics like financing options, growth planning, entity structure and cash flow are easier face-to-face and that for cash-heavy businesses, in-branch activity remains necessary for deposits, coin orders, change and notary services, just to name a few.

Miller connects his customers with digital tools supported by human service and ensures they get the most out of NBT’s online platform, while also being the person they feel comfortable calling when they need real guidance – calling that blend something business owners appreciate.

Jamison Flora, business banking manager at Community Bank, says that what business clients are looking for in their bank of choice today can differ based on markets, type of business, size of business, and more, but a commonality he’s seen is the desire for advice.

“ So we’re making sure our commercial bankers are equipped to give advice to their business clients,” Flora said. “At the same time, we are partnering with a fintech that will offer cashflow insights and virtual CFO type advice to the really small business customer, because the really small business customer is everything in their business, from bookkeeper to marketing team.”

Flora says that when it comes to the physical branch location, some business owners may never walk in, but it’s important and comforting to them to know that the branch is there.

“Survey after survey will tell you more and more small, small businesses are open to ‘digital only banking,’ but when you really dig into the numbers, that need for physical presence still shows up in those surveys,” he said. “They may never walk in, but digital only can be a little scary when you need advice.”

Flora reiterates that the needs of businesses are wildly different and understanding how to walk with them when they’re really small and run with them as they grow and into larger companies is where loyalty and advice matter.

He notes that as part of Community Bank’s own growth strategy, they align market decisions on where the bulk of businesses are – looking at locations that reuse space, grow a community, reinvigorate an area, and serve a population that has a financial desert, for example.

Along with the bank’s physical footprint, giving to organizations in neighborhoods that serve those customers – personal and business alike – is important, Flora said.

“Our business clients want to support organizations in their communities, and in fact, in 2025, we donated close to $4M in philanthropic support, and our teammates gave over 20,000 volunteer hours,” he said. “So, this is a specific differentiator for us in terms of bringing impact to our clients.”

Tom Rogers, executive vice president, chief operating officer, ESL Federal Credit Union, says that whether it’s in a branch or online, today’s business members expect efficiency and regular open communication from their banking partner.

“Businesses want to have confidence in their financial institution’s capabilities to handle their business’s unique needs,” Rogers said. “They expect their banking partner to inform them of any changes that could impact their business, especially when they have so many other responsibilities.”

Small businesses are a key component of ESL’s portfolio, and many interact via a blended experience built on positive experiences and educational opportunities across both digital and branch channels.

“Physical branches serve as a significant resource for small business members who are just getting started on their business journey or have banking business they need or prefer to conduct in person,” Rogers said. “They also provide an opportunity for businesses to talk with a team member about more complex needs.”

Rogers explains that ESL’s local branches are intended to complement its digital services and provide a community presence that helps build trust and an opportunity to connect at a personal level.

“It’s important to care about the people connected to a business,” he said. “This includes the people who manage the business, the people they employ, and the population they serve. Once you build a relationship with people, everything else comes easier.”

Rogers says many business relationships are built “between transactions” and that the conversations that take place outside of transactions (whether on the phone, during a visit, or in a social setting) help give context to the dynamics of a business and how it best achieves its goals.

“When you know more about the business and the people behind it, it allows everyone involved in the success of that business to be more adept at managing through change,” he said.

Rogers is excited about the improved access to affordable banking services for city residents and businesses with ESL’s recent opening of the Bull’s Head Office in the City of Rochester. He also looks forward to early 2026, when ESL will finalize the asset acquisition of Generations Bank, which expands branch access to communities across Seneca, Cayuga, Ontario, and Orleans Counties.

Katie Gross, retail regional manager at Canandaigua National Bank, says banks today play a different role for their business clients than they did just a decade ago.

“Business clients want to do business when it makes sense for them,” said Gross, noting business owners have intense demands and a limited amount of time to get everything done. “They are looking for a strategic partner in their banker – someone who has knowledge and expertise to help them and is also innovative and proactive.”

Terry Kelley, vice president, business banking officer at Canandaigua National Bank, adds that more than ever, business owners want their banks to anticipate their needs – both in the realm of digital banking and in-person – and have an expectation of seamless movement between both.

“This is my thirty-first year in banking, and the expectations of business owners have grown, but it’s very rewarding to walk with them,” Kelley said. “Our model is so simple – take care of customers and do the right thing for our customers.”

Gross said Canandaigua National Bank is constantly looking at the services provided for business customers, both digitally and in person, and continues to place a premium on the importance of advising, education, and communication. The bank is excited about its recent, ongoing expansion into Syracuse with four new branches.

“We will always value high touch,” Gross said. “It’s really important to our customers, even those who enjoy our digital services, that we continue to value and prioritize high-touch banking.”

Philip L. Pecora, president and CEO of Genesee Regional Bank (GRB), believes business clients today expect a relationship with a banking partner who understands their business and can respond quickly when opportunities or challenges arise.

“At GRB, our approach is centered on developing trusted personal relationships with our clients and we leverage technology to satisfy their routine transactional banking needs,” said Pecora who stresses that a capable technology platform is table stakes for banks today.

The differentiation that business clients seek, he said, is the personal relationship with access to knowledgeable professionals who understand their business, provide strategic insights, and recommend the right banking solutions.

Mostly driven by business relationships, GRB has grown to over $1.2B in assets over the past 30 years with a very limited branch infrastructure. The bank has three retail branch locations; however, the majority of clients’ transactions are handled over the phone with the bank’s commercial relationship associates or online through its treasury management system.

“Again, commercial banking is about relationships, not bricks and mortar,” Pecora said. “Today, technology has replaced most traditional functions of a physical branch (other than cash transactions). As technology continues to advance and clients become increasingly comfortable with utilizing it, in my opinion, branches are becoming less and less relevant.”

Pecora sees fraud as one of the biggest threats facing businesses today, and in response, the bank continues to upgrade its technology infrastructure related to the expansion of fraud prevention capabilities.

“These solutions help businesses safeguard against a myriad of fraud approaches,” Pecora said. “Solutions such as Positive Pay, biometric identification and multi-factor authentication provide necessary safeguards that complement our relationship managers’ intimate knowledge and understanding of our clients.”

Cory Pettinella, business banking, senior relationship manager at Bank of America Rochester, says today’s business clients expect a seamless, high-tech, and high-touch banking and lending experience across every channel, including mobile, online, and in-person.

“They want the flexibility to manage finances anytime, anywhere- whether through our mobile platform, digital tools like CashPro, or by connecting with specialists in person at our financial center,” he said. “These specialists are always available to provide expert advice and guidance. As their own customers shift toward digital transactions, more business clients also expect support for modern payment solutions.”

The increasing adoption of digital payments is one of the reasons that Bank of America is investing so heavily in the technology that supports this important payment ecosystem, said Pettinella. He adds that the bank spends $13 billion annually on technology, of which nearly $4 billion has been allocated to new technology initiatives in 2025.

“These ongoing investments continue to enhance the client experience across all channels and drive operational efficiencies across the company,” he said.

Bank of America also continues to invest in physical branch locations, aka financial centers, in Rochester and beyond.

“Just a few weeks ago, we opened a new financial center on Mount Hope, as we keep making significant investments in our financial center network, which includes exterior and interior renovations in our centers,” he said. “Between this year and 2027, we are investing more than $11.4M in the financial center network.”

In today’s ever-increasing digital world, Pettinella says the bank’s financial centers add value by providing personalized and expert advice.

“While digital platforms allow business clients to transact and manage finances on the go, the financial centers are where they can go to have strategic conversations around growth, cash flow, financing, or restructuring; get specialized guidance on complex solutions (lending, payments, workplace benefits) and build relationships with bankers who understand their long-term goals,” Pettinella said.

Caurie Putnam is a Rochester-area freelance writer.

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