SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- Teslar Software, provider of portfolio management tools that aggregate and automate lending and deposit operations for community financial institutions, announced today that Citizens Bank & Trust has partnered with them to streamline lending processes from beginning to end, boosting efficiencies and creating a better customer experience.

Plaquemine, La.-based Citizens Bank & Trust initially partnered with Teslar Software for loan origination and forgiveness during round two of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). By using the fintech’s technology, the bank was able to significantly enhance efficiencies and more quickly provide small businesses with the funds they needed to get back on their feet. After experiencing the productivity gains enabled by the technology, the bank decided to leverage Teslar’s suite of automated workflow and portfolio management tools to help them across commercial lending.

“We’ve been in high-growth mode over the past few years, especially in commercial lending, and Teslar Software will be instrumental in helping manage this growth with efficiency and ease,” said Jim Purgerson, CCIM, SVP of Citizens Bank & Trust. “The team at Teslar Software has made this project as seamless as possible, being there for us and highly responsive through every step of the implementation process. By leveraging Teslar’s technology and tapping into their team’s deep industry expertise, we expect to strengthen our competitive position and solidify our reputation as one of the best community banks in the area.”

With Teslar, Citizens Bank & Trust will eliminate manual, paper-based processes and leverage automated workflows, reducing duplication and saving time. The bank plans to use Teslar to more precisely track aspects of the lending process such as exceptions and past due loans, freeing lenders to spend more time focusing on the customer. Plus, the Teslar platform will provide more transparency across departments, providing increased visibility into each unique customer relationship.

“Banks like Citizens Bank & Trust will be best positioned to manage their strong momentum by continually evaluating their processes and prioritizing their technology strategy,” said Joe Ehrhardt, CEO and founder of Teslar Software. “With the efficiencies gained from Teslar’s platform, they will be able to enhance operations and better serve customers, leading to more new business opportunities and a significant competitive advantage.”