Every small business has a story.

The family-owned restaurant is finally ready to open a second location. The local contractor is gearing up to take on a big city project. The neighborhood vendor is hustling to keep shelves stocked before the holiday rush.

Behind every commercial loan application is a dream, a risk, and a clock that’s always ticking. When weeks turn into months waiting for approvals, those dreams don’t just stall; they slip away. And when that happens, community banks don’t just lose business; they lose trust, relationships, and a chance to fuel local growth.

Small businesses need clarity, quick answers, and a process that respects their time. And community banks, their closest financial partners, are uniquely positioned to deliver it.

Here are the top 3 strategies that help community banks close loans faster and strengthen the relationships that matter most.

Video Banking: Bring the Banker to the Business Owner

Forget scheduling multiple in-person meetings that drag timelines out for weeks. With video banking for commercial loans, your lending team can meet clients face-to-face virtually, anytime, anywhere.

• Faster decision-making: Immediate Q&A over video means fewer delays from back-and-forth emails or missed calls.
• Personalized connection: Business owners still get that “human” relationship, eye contact, reassurance, and expertise, without needing to step away from their busy schedules.
• Expanded reach: Whether the client is across town or across state lines, you can connect instantly.

Community banks using video banking often see commercial loan cycles shrink from weeks to days, while still keeping the interaction relationship-driven.

Digital Document Signing: Seal the Deal Without the Paper Chase

How many deals get stalled because someone’s waiting for a wet signature, a courier delivery, or a misplaced paper? Too many.

Digital document signing for commercial loans is the ultimate time-saver for commercial loans:

• Anywhere, anytime sign-offs: Borrowers can review and sign documents securely on their phone or laptop.
• Fewer errors, faster compliance: Built-in checks reduce missing initials or overlooked fields, cutting down on rework.
• Secure and audit-ready: Meets compliance requirements with encryption and tracking.

The best part? Closing day becomes a smooth, exciting milestone instead of a logistical nightmare.

Multi-Specialist Collaboration: One Call, All the Answers

Commercial loans often need input from underwriters, credit analysts, and even sector specialists. The old way? Endless back-and-forth, scheduling conflicts, and files passed around for weeks.

With video banking, community banks can cut that cycle down dramatically. Instead of waiting, you can:

• Add multiple specialists to one video call: Everyone reviews the borrower’s needs at once.
• Resolve questions on the spot: No more chasing signatures or clarifications later.
• Speed up approvals: What used to take weeks of back-and-forth can be handled in a single session.

This way, your client feels like the entire bank is working together for them, and you close deals much faster.

Faster Loans, Stronger Relationships

Small businesses don’t have time to wait, and neither should you. Eltropy Lending Solutions brings together cutting-edge technology and the relationship-first approach that makes community banks indispensable. The result? Faster decisions, smoother processes, and more opportunities closed.

With Eltropy commercial lending technology, you’re not just keeping up with the future of lending, you’re defining it. You’re empowering small businesses to grow, fueling local economies, and positioning your bank as the partner they can’t afford to lose.

The future is here. Let Eltropy help your community bank win commercial loans faster. Connect with our experts today and discover how effortless lending can be.