Overview
In early 2020, the U.S. government launched the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. At TAB Bank, we processed over 10,000 PPP loans within the first 13 months of the program—resulting in a massive influx of customers with urgent questions, confusion about next steps, and evolving compliance requirements. Clear, empathetic communication became mission-critical.
My Role
Though my title was Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Manager, I voluntarily took on the role of primary relationship manager for the PPP borrower portfolio—soon the largest lending portfolio at the bank—in addition to my ongoing marketing responsibilities. I triaged customer inquiries and became the front-line point of contact for thousands of small business owners navigating one of the most uncertain financial periods in recent history.
What I Did
- Established and maintained new website pages to provide information related to the impact of Covid-19 on TAB Bank customers and the PPP loan program.
- Conceived and worked with IT resources to stand up a PPP-specific email address and “Request a Callback” system, then wrote and oversaw delegation of follow-up messaging with pre-scripted responses to frequently asked questions.
- Personally responded to more than 2,000 borrower inquiries, offering tailored guidance, linking to relevant systems, and escalating complex cases.
- Collaborated with teams across Lending, Operations, Compliance, and Customer Support to ensure consistent, accurate communication.
- Translated regulatory updates and internal processes into clear, customer-facing content, helping borrowers complete forgiveness applications and understand deadlines.
- Balanced this communication role with marketing responsibilities for a large-ticket B2B lending portfolio—deploying ABM ad campaigns, emails, and internal system improvements.
Impact
- Earned multiple unsolicited emails of appreciation from customers, some of which were sent directly to bank leadership, including the CEO.
- Recognized as TAB Bank Employee of the Quarter (May 2021), specifically for my contributions to both PPP communications and B2B portfolio growth.
- Earned a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 76 from PPP loan customers in 2021 (compared to organizational NPS of 72)
- During this period, the ABM portfolio at TAB Bank saw:
- +167% YoY increase in marketing-sourced leads
- +135% YoY increase in closed B2B deals
Tools & Skills
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Customer experience strategy
- Crisis communication
- Writing for clarity and empathy
- Project prioritization under pressure