Result: FHLBank Atlanta has a new Web presence that does more than present information. It reinforces the bank's brand: total value of membership. Simple navigation, streamlined organization and updated content have transformed the site from an online brochure to a tool for delivering the real value that FHLBank Atlanta's brand promises its members.
The client’s need: Federal Home Bank of Atlanta is part of a nationwide system of regional banks which provide funding and other services to member financial institutions. As FHLBank Atlanta's range of services grew in recent years, so did the amount of information it posted to its Web site. This new content was hard to find because of the way the site was organized. Many members continued to call the bank on the phone because they couldn't find what they needed online.
FHLBank Atlanta needed a site that was thorough yet simple and intuitive. An upgrade in its Web presence could reduce the cost of phone support and - more important - expose its members to more of the valuable services it offers.
How we did it: Point of Vision took an inventory of everything on FHLBank Atlanta's Web site and reorganized it. We created clear navigation paths that would lead people right to what they needed. We also improved the site's search engine.
To give FHLBank Atlanta an easy way to add and update information, we integrated Ektron's CMS400 content management system into the site and customized several functions of the software. The Ektron system's sophisticated code takes skillful adaptation, but by working hand-in-hand with both Ektron and FHLBank Atlanta's IT department we met the bank's requirements.
FHLBank Atlanta's Director of Communications, Chris McEntee, said our work on the Ektron system was part of what made us so valuable. "They're not afraid to get their hands dirty with the technology," he said. "You can find some agencies that will talk to you about your brand's messaging, and others that will talk about design, and others that will work on the back-end technology, but instead of having to find three vendors, I could get everything from Point of Vision."
We also designed a new home page which showcases a bank service, event or success story, shedding new light on the value FHLBank Atlanta provides its members. The custom CMS makes it easy for FHLBank Atlanta to update the feature item regularly, keeping the home page fresh.
Finally, we placed the login to the bank's member portal on the new home page. Now, every time members go online to manage their accounts and conduct transactions, they will see the bank's news and events and will learn more about the total value of their membership - the heart of the FHLBank Atlanta brand.
In the client's words: "At Point of Vision, they understand how the visual look and feel feed into the brand and the broader messaging needs of the entire organization. They didn't just say, 'We can build you a web site.' They said, 'Let's talk about how you want to present yourselves.'"
- Chris McEntee, Director of Communications, FHLBank Atlanta
