A Certified Treasury Professional (CTP), Nick Benz brings 17 years of Treasury Management experience with him to Merchants as well as his empathetic approach to working with local businesses.
What drew you to Merchants Bank?
What really drew me to Merchants is the structure – in an organization this size, you know your voice is being heard. We have decision-making management at the local level, people that understand what business is like in that unique market, which is such an asset when you want to be able to make quick decisions with your customers.
How do you approach working with customers?
I try to take a consultative approach – I ask a lot of questions to figure out what would best suit that customer’s unique needs and what would bring them enhanced efficiency and benefits.
What is one of the top things businesses can work on right now to improve their security?
One of the biggest things going on right now is email compromise. Fraudsters are able to send fake emails that look like they’re from people in your organization that you recognize, usually asking you to send money somewhere.
One of the best ways to combat this is to make sure you have secure, dual-control internal processes in place for when your business makes payments – especially large ones. “Dual-control” means that a payment (or other action) has to be reviewed and approved by two people before it is made. Making sure that a transaction is approved by two or more parties increases your chance of catching any fraud attempts.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve heard?
I’m a firm believer in the golden rule: treat people as you would like to be treated. That mentality really helps you have strong empathy and compassion for everyone you work with.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy sports and have two kids that play baseball and basketball, so going to games and helping coach baseball takes up most of my off-work hours.
Our Treasury Management experts are always ready to discuss ideas, opportunities and options for your business. Contact your local Treasury Management Sales Officer – we’re ready to support your business as you work toward your goals.