BEFORE YOU GO, WATCH YOUR FACEBOOK POSTS

THE
WEST
BOUND
INSIDER
›› FALL 2013
PH. 713-554-7615
›› WWW.WESTBOUNDBANK.COM
BEFORE YOU GO, WATCH YOUR FACEBOOK POSTS
o Packed.
o Airline tickets.
o Facebook post to family and friends.
S
canning social media sites such as Facebook for status
updates is a growing trend for burglars to identify easy
homes to target, a recent Australian study reported.* If
you’re preparing to depart on a vacation, be careful not
to give clues that you’ll be away from home in Facebook
posts. You may think only your family and friends are
viewing your online comments, but clever thieves may
be following your activities too.
Sites that show photos of houses, such as Google Street View,
are also used by burglars to scope out security features and ease
of access.
SAFEGUARD YOUR HOME
The good news is that there are things you can do to protect
your home before you travel this summer. Here is a checklist:
Resist posting status updates. Never give out your location
or information regarding your travel plans and dates on
Facebook or Twitter.
Arrange for lawn care. If you’re going to be gone for more
than a week, hire a service or friend to mow your lawn.
Set timers on interior and exterior lights. This makes it look like
someone is coming and going from your home.
Lock all doors and windows. It’s easy to overlook a window or
two so check everything before you leave and don’t forget the
garage door.
Alert your alarm company. If you have an automatic security
system, let the company know when you’ll be away and make sure
the alarm is set properly.
Stop newspaper and mail delivery. Or ask a trusted neighbor to pick
up those items for you while you’re gone.
Don’t hide any keys outside your home. Thieves
know all the tricks so don’t help them by
leaving a key behind.
* S ource: Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia,
www.ecu.edu.au, Dec. 9, 2012.
›› FALL 2013
Mobile alerts
MONITOR YOUR FINANCES
AUTOMATICALLY
www.westboundbank.com
I
f you lead a busy, on-the-go lifestyle, you may think it’s tough to find time to
stay on top of your finances. Westbound Bank makes it easy! We’re in tune with
the daily challenges you face, so we know you need banking at the speed of
life. That’s why we introduced mobile alerts.
You can set up alerts so you will receive automatic notifications
on your mobile device that help you track your finances. Get the
information you need anytime, anywhere. You can be notified when
your balance climbs above or drops below an amount you specify,
when a transaction is posted to your account and in a variety of
other situations. Or just check to see what your balance is every
day. You’ll receive the account information you care about as a
push notification on your mobile device.
Mobile alerts can help you save money on late fees or overdraft
charges. You never have to wonder, as you’re standing in the
checkout line, whether you have enough in your account to cover
your purchase. The answer is in the palm of your hand!
While you’re busy thinking about all the other important things in
your life, mobile alerts automatically keep you up-to-date with
your finances. Choose the alerts you want today at
www.westboundbank.com.
Get the information you need anytime,
anywhere. The answer is in the palm
of your hand!
Ashley Palmer — Receptionist
WESTBOUND BANK SHINING STAR
A
shley Palmer has been with us for the past year working as our
receptionist. She is currently being trained to be one of the
new tellers at our Katy location. Her family moved here from
Oklahoma and she recently graduated from Seven Lakes High
School. She has lived in Katy for the past four years.
During her spare time, Ashley likes to go out with friends, to the
movies or out to eat. She also likes to play the piano and is learning how to
play the guitar. Because of her love of traveling, she hopes to tour Europe in
the very near future! She has enjoyed working with us and looks forward to the
years to come.
2
Ashley Palmer –
one of Westbound
Bank’s Shining St
ars.
Merchant services
MANAGE YOUR ELECTRONIC PAYMENT COSTS
A
ccepting credit and debit card payments is
crucial to remaining competitive in today’s
market place, but it can also be a
significant cost of doing business — if you
let it. These tips can help you keep card
processing rates reasonable.
Do your research. Every card processor keeps a
percentage of each transaction amount (the rate),
and they may also charge additional flat fees. But
these rates and fees can vary considerably from vendor
to vendor, so it’s wise to request proposals from several
companies. In addition, investigate each vendor’s track
record with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org), see how
easy it is to contact customer service and check how quickly they
are able to resolve technology problems.
Nitpick. Most merchant card processing agreements come
with a variety of fees. Make sure you understand each one,
and negotiate down or ask to remove anything that seems
unnecessary. Sales agents often have substantial flexibility in how
the contracts are written, and they may be willing to amend the
terms in order to secure your business.
Read the fine print. Beware of caps on monthly sales volumes,
and limits on transaction frequency and size of sale. Insist on
eliminating application or set-up fees, as well as cancellation fees.
Consider the hardware. Your merchant card processor may
promote leasing the equipment necessary to run transactions, but
buying the hardware is often much less expensive in the long run
if you can afford the up-front cost.
Educate employees. Most card processors offer lower rates
when the risk of chargebacks (when the customer successfully
disputes a
charge) is reduced.
Help improve transaction
security at your company
by encouraging workers to always swipe the customer’s card
rather than manually entering the numbers, and follow all prompts
on the credit card terminal.
Accept PIN-based payments. Because the transactions are more
secure, you may be charged a lower amount when a customer
selects “debit” and enters his or her PIN.
REQUEST A RATE REVIEW
We may be able to help you reduce your processing rates and
fees and improve the efficiency of your electronic payments
program. Contact Danny Henderson, our merchant processing
services representative, today at www.westboundbank.com
or 832-367-4292.
$100 BILL GETS A NEW LOOK
T
his October, a new $100 bill begins circulating. It will be more colorful — and more secure — thanks to a blue, 3-D
security ribbon on the front of the note that shifts patterns when the bill is tilted back and forth and side to side.
Images of an inkwell and bell, and the number 100 on the front right-hand corner will also change color — from
copper to green — when the note is tilted. These improved high-tech features make it easier for the public to
know if a bill is the real thing, as they are more difficult for counterfeiters to replicate. Other design enhancements
include a portrait watermark, raised printing and new background color. To learn more about the new $100 note,
visit www.newmoney.gov.
3
655 W. GRAND PARKWAY SOUTH
KATY, TX 77494
IN THIS ISSUE
›› WPH.
WW.WESTBOUNDBANK.COM
713-554-7615
Before you go, watch
your Facebook posts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page
Mobile alerts: Monitor your
finances automatically
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page
Merchant services: Manage
your electronic payment costs
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page
Westbound SBA
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page
1
2
3
4
bellaire location:
nw houston location:
5231 Bellaire Blvd.
Bellaire, Texas 77401
13225 FM 529, Suite 107
Houston, Texas 77041
katy location:
655 W. Grand Parkway South
Katy, Texas 77494
›› FALL 2013
WESTBOUND SBA
W
estbound Bank’s SBA
Division received
their first SBA
approval in May
2008. During the past
five years, the SBA
Division has received
$91,450,000 in SBA approvals. Our volume in
the Houston SBA District during this five-year
period ranks us No. 3 for financial institutions
headquartered in Texas and No. 2
headquartered in the Houston metropolitan
area. The Houston SBA District encompasses
32 counties in Southeast Texas. We achieved
this status through excellence service, which
includes a “yes or no” answer on your loan
application in one of the shortest time
period in the area. Westbound Bank will also
grant SBA loans as far west as San Antonio,
north to Dallas and all parts in between.
SBA Loan Facts
Loan Amount
$5 million maximum
Use of Proceeds
•P
urchase of existing building with at
least 51 percent occupied by business
owner.
•C
onstruction of new building with at
least 60 percent occupied by business
owner.
•R
efinance existing debt with up to 100
percent on outstanding balances.
• L oan proceeds may include inventory,
working capital and closing costs.
Cash Injection
• As low as 10 percent for existing business.
• As low as 15 percent for new business.
•O
wner finance may be applied for ¹⁄³
of injection.
Terms
Up to 25 years
amortization with no
balloon payment.
Interest Rate
Quarterly adjusting rate, which is currently
6 percent.
Contact our SBA Division
Al Johnson
713-559-2241
ajohnson@westboundbank.com
Jason Yeow
713-559-2242
jyeow@westboundbank.com
This publication does not constitute legal, accounting or other ­professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate,
neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. Websites not
belonging to this organization are provided for information only. No endorsement is implied. Images may be from one or
more of these sources: ©Thinkstock, ©iStock, ©Fotolia. ©2013 BlueSpire Strategic Marketing | bluespiremarketing.com