A Sisterhood of Bank Tellers:
An Ethnography of Farmer’s State Bank of Hamel: Corcoran
I. Preface (Leighton)
Due to the popularity of banking across America, most citizens understand the basic concepts behind the system; however, few know the intricate obligations (me included) of the people who handle their money. Maggie and I will be discovering the culture found behind the scenes of the Farmers State Bank of Hamel located in Corcoran through our broker Denise, who works at the bank.
The particular group Maggie and I are studying is four female bank tellers who compose the staff at the Farmers State Bank of Hamel Corcoran location. From what I am aware, bank tellers only operate basic functions of handling money like checking account balances and serving as receptionists. These bank tellers can be categorized as a subculture due to their relationship to the bank and the fact that only four employees work there. This interesting dynamic is the reason I chose to study this subculture.
Although the four are without a doubt participants for a job, it is obvious that they have stayed for much more than a paycheck. I believe this because, at a national average salary of $24,000 a year (Teller Salaries), bank tellers are not on the “high end” of the pay scale. In addition, without extra education, there is very little room to be promoted as a bank teller. Based on my prior knowledge, I expect that the ladies have stuck around for the friendships they have made.
I anticipate seeing the four cohorts engaged in stereotypical female actions: gossipping during the lunch hour, complaining about their husbands, and overdramatizing the chaos of their family lives. In addition to the assumptions I have about verbal communications, I expect family photos like Christmas cards to be strung across the walls to serve as a reminder of their lives at home.
Hopefully, as I leave the bank, I will have a new appreciation for a group of individuals who provide service for many citizens in my local area. I hope to find they thoroughly enjoy their job. Personally, I cannot imagine holding a single job that I presume pays hourly, for my entire career.
I. Preface (Maggie)
I am a quiet, 17-year-old girl from the small town of Corcoran. Even though I have lived in this town my entire life, I have never stepped foot in one of the central locations of my town, the local Farmer’s State Bank. This is one of the reasons I chose to do my ethnography on this subculture. I think it will be interesting to see a side of the town I live in that I was not aware of before. I hope to learn more about my community and what makes it thrive.
My neighbor, Denise, just so happens to be one of the four employees who works at this bank, and she is our broker for this project. Knowing one of the employees and being from this town makes me feel a little more comfortable about doing my observations. I do not personally go to Farmer's State Bank, but have driven by it many times.
From my prior knowledge, I am aware that all the workers are female and in their late 40s to early 50s. Since the bank is located in a small town, and one of only two locations, I am expecting the attraction of banking there to be the customer relationships. It has the “local-business” appeal. I expect that all the employees will know their customers really well, and that their customers have been banking there for quite some time. I also know that most of the employees have worked there for over 10 years. I believe the workers have continued to work there after many years because of the relationships and connections they have through this job.
I expect there to be a lot of interaction between them, mainly talking about the latest news around town and within their families. Therefore, I anticipate them being a tight knit group, but still very welcoming and helpful. The employees will probably be dressed formally and will be wearing name tags. They most likely will be sitting behind a tall counter, either interacting with customers or working on their computers. I don’t think the tellers will be doing anything too exciting, but overall I am looking forward to visiting The Farmer’s State Bank of Hamel in Corcoran.
II. Background
Nestled in a cornfield twenty miles from the heart of downtown Minneapolis at the intersection of County Road 116 and 10, is a bank known for their connection to the community of Corcoran, Minnesota. The bank itself is one of two banks in its branch; its sister bank is located 4.2 miles away in Hamel, Minnesota. Officially, both banks are called “Farmer’s State Bank of Hamel.”
The business was founded on September 8th, 1919 by Louie Dorweiler. The following month Louie’s brother, Harry, joined him after his farming career ended as a result of two accidents. The two brothers set on the mission of serving the rural community’s banking needs as the only bank in town. They have passed this commitment down to their children and grandchildren. The Farmer’s State Bank is currently managed by the fourth generation of Dorweiler’s who work at the Hamel location. Although the bank expanded to Corcoran in 1982, the goal has stayed the same: to be “Always at your service…all ways.” (History)
Corcoran has a population of approximately 5,000 people; Farmers State Bank of Hamel is the only bank inside the city limits. Employees aim to keep this bank a local keystone by using a few unique methods to serve its customers: they allow customers to drop checks into a bin for next day checking after hours; they open their drive thru before and after the normal work day; and they only have four employees total.
Three of the four tellers, Denise, Mickey, and Nancy, have worked at the bank for ten plus years. Diana, the fourth employee, has worked there for three years. The four work together to meet the needs of their customers by operating all aspects of the bank without the presence of their CEO, who works at the Hamel location. These operations include running the drive through, depositing checks, withdrawing money, and opening new accounts. The bank not only strives to serve their local community through its banking needs, but also through sponsoring and helping out at the local events such as The Hamel Rodeo and Corcoran Country Days.
This bank has a strong foothold in tradition. For example, their mission statement has been untouched:
“We strive to support our communities, remembering that they are the sole reason for our success, to build lasting, long term relationships with our customers, treating them as the friends they truly are, and to remember who we are, what we are, and how we got there. Finally, to build and maintain a steady, long term staff (which we call our bank “family”), that is courteous, knowledgeable, and friendly.” (History)
While still remaining rooted in tradition, the bank has thrived throughout the years by modifying its practices and adapting to advancements in technology. They have added an ATM machine, online banking, and e-statements to accommodate the needs of an advancing society. The bank has expanded its assets by modifying practices to meet the needs of customers to stay in business.
III. Observations
The clear, crisp morning represented the town of Corcoran almost perfectly. The small farming community contained two bars, one church, a liquor store, a Napa Auto Parts, and a greenhouse in addition to the bank. Beyond the town, the petite bank was part of a small strip mall positioned in the middle of a cornfield. Farmers State Bank of Hamel, written in red, stood out against the bland, tan color of the building, It’s color was just as we were expecting the day to be; boring.
Inside the bank, the tan colored walls were covered in outdated western decor. Dream catchers engrossed with beads and animal fur along with various cowboy paintings covered the walls. In one such painting, a cowboy in a white hat with chapps rode on the back of a sorrel pony through the mountains and pine trees in the rain. Surrounding each cubicle and the vault, was outdated wood paneling that had not changed since its opening because “[it] has everything to do with Shortie [the CEO] being the bull-rider he is.” In addition, an American flag stood proudly in the front window visible to anyone pulling into the parking lot or entering the building - a clear sign of the pride they have for their country.
On the right side of the entryway were awards and graphs of the bank's assets along with black and white pictures of the bank’s founders from its opening day in 1919. The hum of K102, a local country music station, played continuously over the speakers of the radio to offset the silence in the bank. Occasionally, we heard a soft voice sing along with the radio.
The first person who sang out was Diana, the only person with long hair in the office. Her teller booth is immediately to the left of the entrance, and instead of sitting in a chair, she stood against her desk surrounded by pictures of her grandchildren. To the left of her cubicle was Nancy, who, even with her short grey hair, appeared to be the youngest teller. She had worked at the bank for 30 years. Next to her is Mickey, a proud grandma and the oldest of the group, who had worked there for 14 years. She asked Nancy if she would like “to look at the coupons from the Sunday paper”. Nancy responded “Nah, I can’t afford any of it,” but eventually both of them peeked through the booklet, as they usually do.
After coming across an article on Hurricane Matthew, a conversation spurred regarding Diana’s brother who lived on the gulf-coast of Florida. “It was a relief to finally hear from him and find out he was fine,” said Diana. Her co-workers also contributed to her sense of relief. “That’s what’s nice about these guys [her co-workers] they’re good at listening and calming me down. Especially Denise.” Because of the others’ trust in Denise, it was obvious that she was the leader of the group. It was also evident by her position as Branch Manager, a bank teller with the responsibility of final approvals on official paperwork, and by her constructive influence on the other employees throughout her 27 years at the bank.
It was hard to deny that the relationship between the four bank tellers was special. “We’re so close we’re like sisters almost, we do more laughing here than at any bank,” said Diana. “They’re my sisters, and I feel comfortable to share [personal issues] with them.” We had anticipated that they would be a tight knit group, but we were expecting close friends rather than ‘almost’ sisters. “Yeah, pretty much,” agreed Mickey, the soft-spoken sweetheart who we often observed walking around in her socks - evidence of the casual tone of the office. “We’re not all that far apart in age so we all get along pretty well.”
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a customer walking in the door. Each teller took their turn saying:
“Hi, Wayne.”
“Hi, Wayne.”
“Hi, Wayne.”
Exactly as we had presumed, the three (Diana, Nancy, and Mickey) engaged in smalltalk with Wayne about the weather. In midst of their conversation, Nancy asked him if he wanted “smalls or bigs”, a friendly term for $20 bills or $100 bills. After he was helped, he exited the building and the door clanked shut behind him. Until the next customer arrived, the only noise to be heard in the bank was the sound of the radio with the occasional buzz of the bill counting machine.
At 9 AM, a bell, like that on an elevator, dinged interrupting the silence. When they recognized the customer pulling through the drive thru window, the three approached the service desk and asked about the customer’s dad. “I had to go to the bank. The meat raffle is tomorrow,” he said. The three laughed in response and returned to their business. From their friendly interaction, it was obvious that they knew the customer well, just as we had anticipated. “Oh that guy. He’s such a riot and his dad is full of the devil,” Denise said chuckling. According to her, this customer's dad had become a Saturday regular at the meat raffles and even had his own designated chair. “It’s little funny stories like that, that make it [working at the bank] worth it.”
It was not just Wayne and the meat raffle customer that they knew well; it was all of them. “It certainly isn’t the pay [why Denise stays]. The customers make it special for me; our customers aren’t just customers, they’re family,” said Denise heartfully. Not only were the relationships important to the employees, but they were also valued by the customers. “When we meet a new customer we tell them we’ll get to know them,” said Denise. “We only know what they tell us, yet they end up telling us their life stories.” It was evident that customers shared more personal information with the bank teller’s than at an average bank. “We’ve heard everything from births of grandchildren to relatives passing and going into accounts and how much money they have,” said Mickey. “It’s one extreme to another. I tend to think it’s more personal things they’ll talk or vent to us about.”
At 10:35, Angie, an older customer with dyed, red, frayed hair walked in with her hands full of gifts. She placed a bag of candies at each cubicle and stated, “I have one for each of my gals.” This was not the only time in the day they received a gift for their service, an obvious example of their importance to the community. Earlier, a customer brought cinnamon rolls to the office to thank them for their help with the local rodeo. “We are so spoiled. They look to us for advice and are so generous, it’s almost embarrassing,” explained Denise. “We have one client who brings us goodie bags for every holiday. If it’s on the calendar she brings us something.”
Denise, Diana, Mickey, and Nancy play a major role in their community. Their customers value them beyond their job title. “You guys are family to me, that’s why I come here,” One customer said without being prompted as he grabbed a piece of candy from a bowl on the teller’s counter. “We have been coming here for thirty some years.”
Although the bank was small, it had a large impact not only on the citizens of Corcoran, but on the events held in the area. This can be proven by their involvement in their local rodeo. “The owner of the banks are bull riders who started the Hamel Rodeo. [...] Farmers State Bank of Hamel is a large part of it because they’re the starters [of the rodeo],” said Diana. Later that day she explained to a customer that the works such as designing T-Shirts and finding sponsors were already underway for the rodeo in July. There seemed to be an expectation to participate in this event, evident by the group working on rodeo responsibilities in addition to their banking responsibilities throughout the day. This commitment has helped make the Hamel Rodeo the largest rodeo in the state of Minnesota.
This rural, rodeo theme seemed to be reflected in their customers. The majority of people who entered the bank fit a similar mold; older men who wore cowboy boots, worn wrangler jeans, a baggy sweatshirt and a ball cap. So, when a customer in a business suit walked in, his apparel made him stand out with an aura of importance. He approached Nancy, the longest working employee at the time, and asked to see her alone in the back room, which was the first time this had happened all day. This was a breach of accepted behavior as it was a ritual for most customers to only be served at the front desk. “It could be because they’re [the businessman was] embarrassed and don’t want anybody to hear,” suggested Mickey.
Throughout the day, every customer, including the businessman received service from whomever they selected. Most customers preferred to be served by Nancy who had worked at the bank much longer than Diana. “There are customers who prefer to go to Denise or Nancy. I’m fine with that. It’s their preference. Things take time,” said Diana. Although customers paid more attention to the other tellers, Diana hasn’t refused to let it stop her from learning about her customers. “I once called a customer by his name and he said ‘you know my name?’” Her drive to learn about the bank’s customers emphasized the value of relationships to the tellers.
As it neared the end of our observation and closing time of the bank, the ladies engaged in the daily procedure of “balancing the drawers”. During this chaotic fifteen minutes, the tellers worked together to solve the issue of the night; the vault was short and their drawers were long. This meant there was not enough money in the vault and there was too much money in each teller’s cubicle. To solve this issue, they recounted all of the money, including the coins, to figure out where they were off - a tell tale sign that they did this procedure to monitor the security of their assets.
As we walked out the door following our observation, we could hear the ladies engaged in conversation as well as their wishes for us to have safe travels. The bank is truly a family and after spending only six hours with the group, we almost felt a part of it.
VI. Conclusion
Relationships guide us through our lives, and as social beings, it is only fit for us to share our history and issues with others. Farmers State Bank of Hamel in Corcoran fosters this need as it provides its employees with an environment where employees are members for the majority of their career, and they love it. “I love the community [of Corcoran and the bank],” said Diana. “It has always been roots to me.” These ladies were each other's best friends and trusted one another with the drama in their personal lives, including the chaos within their family. Each of the tellers had their own identity; however; they shared many values such as the value of family, importance of customers, and the importance of community. Although it seemed strange that bonds like the tellers could be developed through a workplace, it is refreshing to know there is a place where this human quality is appreciated in the businessworld
Aside from their developed relationships, the four have a job that is much more important than we were expecting. Together, they provided a service beyond handling money and maintaining the assets of the bank. Like one customer said to them “you’re [the bank is] my family”, the group has developed roots in the community which are appreciated by the people they serve. Working at the bank is more than a job to this group. Their prominence in the community is an underlying rule of the business that nobody complains about. Instead they have embraced it and utilized their individual skills to improve the outcome of events like the rodeo.
Their commitment to the community extends beyond their volunteer work however. To our surprise, they spoke very infrequently about others in a negative manner. In fact, they encouraged each other to see beyond an individual's status. By their impeccable knowledge of their customers, it was remarkable that after an individual left, they didn’t speak negatively about them, rather they went on with their business.
As people, it is important to discover places where people genuinely care for others, especially as technology has decreased our interactions with each other. To this group, their service to the community and to one another is an example of how much we, as individuals, can provide for others. As humans, this quality and action needs to be utilized more frequently, regardless of personal reward, including money. Farmers State Bank of Hamel and the ladies in it stood as a reminder of how to live in a way that makes the world better. By simply smiling, providing undivided attention, and being thoughtful around their customers, the four tellers exemplified this way of life and because of this, the bank will continue to thrive into the future. Farmers State Bank of Hamel provided this quality to their customers in many ways, just as their motto says, “Always at your service…all ways.”
Citations:
Denise. Personal Interview. 12 Oct. 2016.
Diana. Personal Interview. 28 Oct. 2016.
“History and Mission.” 2016. secure.fsboh.com/Pages/historyandmission.html. Accessed: 8 Oct. 2016.
Mickey. Personal Interview. 28 Oct. 2016.
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