How Apple Bank Unified Marketing, Legal, and Compliance Workflows

Jonathan Ruf, First Vice President - Cyber Risk Executive at Apple Bank

80+ branches
enabled with real-time oversight
50+
projects activity managed
5+
manual spreadsheets eliminated
“If you can think it, YOU can build it! Kudos SmartSuite.”
Jonathan Ruf, First Vice President - Cyber Risk Executive @ Apple Bank

Problem

Fragmented Workflows, Mounting Compliance Risk

Apple Bank, a longstanding financial institution serving New York communities for over 150 years, relies on cross-functional coordination to deliver timely, compliant marketing initiatives. But behind the scenes, collaboration between Marketing, Legal, and Compliance was anything but seamless.

Teams operated in disconnected systems, leading to duplicated work, delays, and heightened compliance risk. Campaigns promoting new products, rate updates, or branch openings were often stalled by manual, email-based approval processes with no centralized visibility. Feedback was buried in lengthy email threads, review cycles lacked transparency, and version control issues made it difficult to ensure content accuracy. Legal and Compliance teams faced additional burdens—tracking review status across departments was time-consuming, approvals weren’t traceable, and quality checks were handled with paper-based lists instead of real-time dashboards.

Without a unified platform, the bank was left chasing documents, piecing together fragmented input, and navigating a process that was both inefficient and risky.

Q1

Solution

One Platform, Total Alignment

SmartSuite provided a unified, secure platform that brought Apple Bank’s Marketing, Legal, and Compliance teams into one synchronized workflow.

Marketing teams now plan, manage, and track campaign assets using SmartSuite’s structured campaign management modules. Each campaign, whether a branch launch or a product promotion, is managed from concept through to compliance approval in a single system.

SmartSuite automated Apple Bank’s approval workflows, ensuring Legal and Compliance were looped in at the right moments—with full task visibility and real-time notifications. Instead of navigating multiple systems and inboxes, reviewers could see the campaign’s status, make contextual comments, and provide approvals—all within one workspace.

Legal and Compliance gained complete oversight into campaign materials, supported by version-controlled documents, digital QA checklists, and clear task assignments. SmartSuite’s automated history logs ensured a robust audit trail, satisfying internal policy needs and external regulatory requirements.

Campaign timelines were no longer at the mercy of disconnected tools. SmartSuite created a collaborative environment where speed didn’t sacrifice governance, and where accountability was embedded into every step.

Q2

Result

Faster, Safer, Smarter Campaign Execution

SmartSuite transformed campaign collaboration at Apple Bank—improving operational speed, regulatory confidence, and team alignment.

The Marketing team now manages all campaign work in a centralized system, with templates and workflows customized to Apple Bank’s regulatory requirements. Tactics like rate changes, which previously involved extensive back-and-forth, are now executed with clarity and control. Assets, revisions, and supporting documents are intrinsically linked—eliminating manual cross-referencing and accelerating delivery.

Legal and Compliance departments are no longer reactive bottlenecks—they’re integrated strategic partners. Approval loops have shortened dramatically, and audit readiness is built into every step of the process.

The QA team transitioned from paper-based checklists to a fully digital, real-time review system. This not only improved accuracy but provided transparency across departments. Status dashboards ensure everyone knows where an asset stands, reducing miscommunication and enhancing accountability.

Through SmartSuite, Apple Bank achieved what many regulated enterprises struggle with: seamless, compliant cross-functional collaboration. The result is faster time to market, reduced operational risk, and a model of efficiency for other financial institutions to emulate.

Q3

Download Customer Story PDF

Company Name

Apple Bank

Industry

Finance

Team

Marketing

Region

North America

Company size

Enterprise

Pain point

Fragmented marketing and compliance workflows

Products replaced

Sharepoint, Spreadsheets, Static PDFs

About the company

For more than 150 years, Apple Bank (applebank.com) has provided personal and business banking services to communities across New York. With a focus on customer service and community engagement, they offer a range of financial products designed to meet the needs of individuals and businesses alike.

Website

http://applebank.com/