Winner Web Sites.

• Position: A survey of community bank websites - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Community banks are slowly adapting to the World Wide Web's interactive capabilities, says the consulting firm RSM McGladrey Inc., St. Paul, Minn. In its annual survey of community bank websites, the firm reported that 55 percent of the sites it reviewed had moved beyond the electronic brochure phase and had developed sites with transactional capabilities.

Overall winner of the firm's outstanding website award for banks with assets of $3 billion or less was Citizens Business Bank of Ontario, Calif. www.cbbank.com, whose site permits customers to look at balances, transfer funds (worldwide), pay bills, stop payments, order checks, communicate with product managers and perform a number of cash management functions. The site also serves as an information and marketing medium.

"About the only thing you can't do is get cash in your hands," says Nancy Sinclair, the bank senior vice president and director of marketing. "Our objective is to take the bank to the customer, to use the Internet as a delivery system."

The website is consistent with the bank's advertising campaign, which emphasizes customer relationships by featuring pictures of customers with their comments about the bank's value to them. Customers can use the site as a base for obtaining insurance quotes, requesting credit reports and calculating monthly payments, amortization schedules...