There’s a common misconception in banking that Industry Intelligence tools like Vertical IQ are primarily for newer lenders — those still learning how to ask better questions, engage in more productive conversations, or navigate unfamiliar industries.
But after more than a decade in banking, plus many years spent working alongside commercial and business banking teams across the country in my role with Vertical IQ, I can confidently say: The most experienced bankers are often the ones who gain the greatest advantage from using Vertical IQ.
Recently, I had the opportunity to host a panel discussion with veteran bankers and credit leaders from institutions across the country. We’re talking professionals with 20, 30, even 40 years in financial services! What stood out wasn’t whether these seasoned lenders needed Industry Intelligence. It was how deliberately and consistently they were using it to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive financial services environment.
Experience matters … but it’s preparation that wins
One of the strongest themes from our panel was that experience alone is no longer enough. Business owners expect bankers to show up informed, relevant, and prepared every single time. With Vertical IQ, this expectation is simple to accomplish.
As panelist Kye Kreutzberger, Commercial Relationship Manager at Citadel Credit Union, explained, “Part of Vertical IQ’s language is: ‘Make your first appointment feel like it’s your third,’ and I think that’s critically important.”
Kye has spent 30 years in financial services, including leadership roles at large corporate banks. Yet he still uses Vertical IQ before the majority of his appointments because he knows that preparation drives trust, and trust drives results. “At the end of the day,” he shared, “[bankers] hear more no’s than yeses. A way to influence more yeses is how you show up from a service standpoint.”
The “Old Guard” isn’t the problem; time is
One misconception I often hear is that experienced lenders resist tools like Vertical IQ because they already “know the industry.” Our panelists challenged that assumption directly. In reality, they explained, seasoned bankers understand better than anyone how valuable time is and how difficult it can be to stay current across dozens of industries when managing large portfolios.
Raquel Juarez, a Small Business Relationship Manager at Fifth Third Bank and Comerica with nearly 25 years in banking, described call planning and prep before Vertical IQ as “a lot more manual.” Today, she uses our Industry Intelligence to save time while improving the quality of her client and prospect conversations.
“Even if it’s a new industry that you’ve never heard of, don’t understand what the cycles look like, or some of the terminology … [Vertical IQ] quickly puts you in alignment with that industry,” she noted.
So, while experienced bankers don’t necessarily need help understanding credit fundamentals or relationship management, they do need efficient access to relevant, current, localized intelligence to move faster and operate at scale. That’s exactly where Vertical IQ shines.
Better conversations lead to better outcomes
One of the biggest differentiators experienced bankers gain from using Vertical IQ is the ability to elevate conversations beyond products and pricing. Instead of simply reacting to requests, lenders can proactively guide strategic discussions on important topics such as growth, cash flow, forecasting, succession planning, capital needs, and industry-specific challenges.
Chris Rieley, Business Banking Team Leader at Atlantic Union Bank, shared how his team uses Vertical IQ tools like valuation data and industry benchmarks to help business owners think differently about long-term goals and exit strategies. Other panelists discussed using the Vertical IQ platform to educate clients on future capital needs, inflation pressures, industry risks, and growth expectations.
Raquel shared a particularly powerful example involving a business owner who initially wanted only a commercial mortgage.
“Being able to show him some of the industry challenges, what’s on the horizon for his industry, and capital needs he’s likely going to face really shifted his mindset. We were able to not only service the need of the commercial mortgage, but we were able to piggyback a line of credit for him too.”
That’s not “selling”; that’s capitalizing on value-added advisory banking. And experienced lenders are uniquely positioned to leverage Vertical IQ’s insights like this because they already understand how to connect economic and Industry Intelligence to real-world client strategy.
Stronger internal alignment across sales and credit
Another major takeaway from the panel discussion was how Vertical IQ helps bridge the gap between relationship managers and credit teams. For institutions focused on improving pull-through rates and portfolio quality, this alignment is critical.
At Evergreen Credit Union, Commercial Credit Officer Zach Short explained that Vertical IQ has become embedded in their underwriting and portfolio analysis workflows. The team even integrated Vertical IQ reports directly into their loan origination system.
More importantly, Vertical IQ creates a common language between its sales and credit teams. Relationship managers can better understand what the credit team is evaluating before deals are structured. Meanwhile, the credit team gains localized market context and industry-specific insights that improve their decision-making.
As Jere Shaw, who leads the Commercial Lending department at Evergreen Credit Union, put it, “Practically every credit memo that comes through committee has at least one excerpt from Vertical IQ quoted … It gives meaningful information.” And that kind of consistency strengthens not only credit quality but organizational confidence.
The most successful bankers never stop learning
One of my favorite moments from our panel discussion came from Citadel Credit Union’s Kye when he described his personal routine:
“I make it a best practice to pull up Vertical IQ every morning. I’ve stayed committed to it because I understand the value that it brings to my career, to the members I support, and ultimately, to the paycheck and incentive I earn.”
That mindset says everything. The best bankers, regardless of tenure, never stop learning, adapting, or sharpening their edge.
Of course, Vertical IQ doesn’t replace experience, but it does amplify it. And in a market where client expectations are rising, competition is intensifying, and trusted advisory relationships matter more than ever, experienced professionals who embrace Industry Intelligence aren’t just keeping pace. They’re leading the way!
Learn how Industry Intelligence from Vertical IQ can elevate the performance of even your most experienced bankers. Request a free demo today!
Image credit: Pexels, Barbara Olsen