Careers at Bank of the West

MISSION

Bank of the West seeks to provide consumers with reliable and stable financial services, with high levels of customer care.

FOUNDING STORY

Bank of the West traces its roots back to 1874, when it first launched its operations under the name Farmers National Gold Bank.

It was, at the time, one of just 10 banks across the US authorised to issue paper currency backed by gold reserves. 

When all bank notes became convertible to gold or silver in 1880, the bank converted from a gold national bank and changed its name to the First National Bank of San Jose.

Bank of the West soon expanded outside of San Jose, and over the course of the twentieth century grew significantly. 

By the late 1970s, the Company had established 35 San Francisco Bay Area locations and controlled $350 million in assets. 

In 1979, Bank of the West assumed its current name, reflecting its goal of expanding further beyond the Bay Area. 

The Company was also acquired that same year by BNP (now BNP Paribas), which merged the Company with the French Bank of California, an existing BNP subsidiary.

Throughout the remainder of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first century, Bank of the West continued to expand, making a series of significant acquisitions, including those of Sierra West Bancorp and Community First Bankshares. 

Today, Bank of the West operates more than 600 retail, wealth, commercial and business banking offices in 23 US states.  It is one of the largest banking institutions in the US, controlling $80.7 billion in assets.

Business model of Bank of the West

Customer Segments

Bank of the West provides banking and financial services to a large customer base, comprising individual, corporate, and institutional clients. 

The Company’s customers can be organised broadly into the following categories:

  • General Consumers, comprising general consumers from a range of demographics to which the Company offers banking and personal financial services;
  • Small Businesses, comprising various small business and business owners to which the Company provides specialised business banking solutions;
  • Large Commercial Enterprises, comprising large corporations across a wide range of business sectors to which the Company provides commercial banking and business services; and
  • Institutions, comprising other government and institutional bodies to which the company provides specialised banking services.

Bank of the West is based in the US, and has a particularly large presence across California.  The Company also serves customers across further 22 US states.

Value Propositions

Bank of the West provides value to its customers in the following ways:

  • Reputation and Standing – Bank of the West has a longstanding and established reputation for providing reliable and effective services to its customers in the US that dates back as far as the nineteenth century;
  • Varied Portfolio of Services – Bank of the West offers a wide range of banking and financial services that cater to the needs of a broad customer base, comprising consumers, businesses, and large corporations;
  • Reach and Accessibility – Bank of the West has a large network of offices and branches across 23 US states, enabling the Company to provide services to its customers efficiently and effectively; and
  • Financial Strength – Bank of the West controls significant financial reserves and controls a significant sum in managed assets.

Channels

Bank of the West primarily serves its customers through its network of branches and offices across 23 US states. 

These branches are staffed by dedicated sales and support personnel who sell products directly to customers. 

The Company also serves its customers through a network of ATMs, through which customers can access banking services on a self-service basis.

Bank of the West additionally operates an online banking portal through which customers can access financial information and banking services without having to interact with Bank of the West employees.

Customer Relationships

Bank of the West seeks to establish longstanding relationships with its clients. 

The Company’s sales personnel also seek to establish multi-product relationships with clients, attempting to sell multiple complementary services at one time. 

These sales personnel deal with clients directly and seek to provide the most relevant services. 

Bank of the West also provides a number of its services to consumer clients on a self-service basis. 

This includes services offered via its online banking portal and its ATM network. 

Bank of the West operates a website at www.bankofthewest.com, through which it provides customers with information regarding its services, branch locations, and leadership team. 

The Company operates a dedicated customer service department, which customers are able to contact directly over the phone or online in order to make complaints or seek assistance.

Bank of the West is additionally able to communicate directly with customers through its various social media accounts, including with LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as through its own blog, press releases, and news articles hosted on its website.

Key Activities

Bank of the West is a consumer and retail bank based in California, the US. 

The Company offers a full suite of commercial banking services for personal, small business, and commercial customers, including  checking and savings, credit and loans, investments and insurance, and online banking. 

Bank of the West conducts business across 23 US states.  Bank of the West is a subsidiary of global banking group BNP Paribas.

Key Partners

Bank of the West works closely with a wide range of partner companies and organisations that help to ensure that the Company is able to provide effective and reliable services to its customers. 

These partners can be organised broadly not the following categories:

  • Supplier and Vendor Partners, comprising suppliers of equipment and products used in the Company’s delivery of banking services, as well as third-party providers of services that support the Company’s corporate activities more broadly;
  • Intermediary Partners, comprising various financial intermediaries and agents that assist the Company in delivering its services;
  • Academic Partners, comprising universities and schools, to which the Company provides funding and scholarships, and supports various education programs and student initiatives;
  • Technology Partners, comprising technology companies and service companies that help to support and develop the Company’s technology platforms, online services, and ATM network; and
  • Strategic and Alliance Partners, comprising a wide range of companies and institutions with which the Company collaborates on a range of projects, including in development, marketing, and branding.

Bank of the West has a number of partnerships in place.  It notably operates a University Partnership program, under which it has partnerships with institutions including UC Berkeley.  The Company has also launched partnerships with companies such as Plug and Play, Novantas, and Cardtronics.

Key Resources

Bank of the West’s business model is dependent on its ability to provide efficient and reliable banking services across the US. 

As such, the Company’s key resources are its financial resources, its network of offices and branches, its IT and communications infrastructure, its network of ATMs, its personnel, its partnerships, and its network of intermediaries. 

Bank of the West notably owns and or leases a network of branches and ATMs across 23 US states, which are key to the Company’s ability to serve customers directly.

Cost Structure

Bank of the West incurs costs in relation to the delivery of its services and solutions, the development of its online platforms, the maintenance and development of its IT and communications infrastructure, the management of its partnerships, the provision of credit services, capital and funding costs, interest expenses, the operation of its network of branches – including occupancy and utility costs, the procurement of third-party services, and the payment of salaries and benefits to its employees.

Revenue Streams

Bank of the West generates revenue through the provision of banking products and financial services to individuals, businesses, and institutions. 

The Company’s revenue is derived primarily in the form of fees associated with these services, as well as interest collected on sums lent. 

In 2017, the Company recorded net annual income of USD 438 million