Ep. 1 The Woodward Way: Where Customer Service Goes Beyond the Branch

The StrideCast

• 21 min

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Welcome to the very first episode of The Stride Cast! We're kicking off our new internal podcast series with a visit to Stride Bank's Woodward, Oklahoma branch, where we sit down with VP, Retail Branch Manager Laura Hayes to discover what makes this team truly special. In this episode, you'll hear about the remarkable culture of care that defines the Woodward branch—from employees who change air filters without being asked to a team member who literally mows a customer's lawn during her lunch break. Laura shares insights into how rural banking creates deep community connections, the importance of hiring for heart over just skills, and how great leadership trickles down to create extraordinary customer experiences. Whether you're at another Stride location wondering what makes Woodward famous for their customer service, or you're curious about how authentic relationships drive business success, this conversation will inspire you. You'll learn about the agricultural community they serve, the all-female team dynamic, and why sometimes the best banking happens outside the bank walls. Get ready to be reminded that at its core, banking is about people taking care of people—and nobody does it quite like Woodward. Come for the banking stories, stay for the heartwarming examples of what it means to truly serve your community. This episode is part of our mission to connect Stride team members across all locations and help everyone understand the diverse communities we're proud to serve.