Tuscaloosa, AL
A business partner through the good times and the bad
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the US economy in the first half of 2020, small business owners like Shane Spiller had to act quickly, not only to ensure the safety to their customers and employees, but to keep their lights on as well. A long-time Synovus customer, Shane relied on his banker to guide him through the application for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. What could have been a confusing and uncertain process resulted in success: Shane’s application was executed smoothly and his business was fully funded within five days.
Shane is the third-generation owner of Tuscaloosa-based Spiller Furniture and Mattress, which was founded by his grandfather in 1948. Outside of its home base, Spiller Furniture operates 14 locations across West Alabama and East Mississippi.
“The people I interact with daily and weekly at Synovus are the main reason I continue to go back.”
Shane has had a long-standing relationship with Synovus, since the days when his local bank was the Bank of Tuscaloosa. And to him, that relationship is key. This was evident during the PPP process, when his banker called or texted him frequently to keep him informed on his status. “The people I interact with daily and weekly at Synovus are the main reason I continue to go back,” he says. “They care about your business. It’s more than just a banking relationship, it’s truly a partnership.”
Spiller Furniture has a mission to enrich their customers’ homes and lives, and one way they do that is by offering financing so their clients are able to make purchases immediately. Synovus helps make this service possible with a line of credit; allowing customers to finance means the store doesn’t always receive funds right away, so Shane is able to buy merchandise and equipment with his line of credit.
A business in operation for more than 70 years is bound to face economic obstacles occasionally, but Shane trusts Synovus to help his business conquer them. “The downturn in the economy in 2009 solidified my devotion to Synovus because during that time we struggled to make a profit,” he says. “But it was a good time to find out which partners wanted to stick by us. Synovus did that. They showed me they wanted to work with us and be our partner through the good times and the bad.”
After closing for three weeks at the beginning of the pandemic, Spiller Furniture—an essential business—reopened their stores, starting with front-door delivery only, before eventually resuming its full range of services. Shane says the demand for furniture and home goods was “phenomenal” following the shelter-in-place orders across the region, and his relationship with Synovus helped him meet that demand.