During budget season the conversation usually goes to cost containment and incremental improvements. However, the most successful community banks invest strategically in infrastructure that creates measurable ROI and sustainable growth. The trick is to identify investments that will lead to operational efficiency and a positive customer experience. Community banks need to think about going from maintenance to transformation, how data will be used for decision making, making your business case, considering scalability, and then focus on planning with purpose. This episode examines an article from Bank Director titled “How leading banks are budgeting for 2026.” A link to the article is included below.
Link: How Leading Banks Are Budgeting for 2026 | Bank Director
