There seems to be a lot of disparity between large, national institutions like Charlotte-based The Bank of America Corp. and local, one-branch institutions like Commonroots Federal Credit Union.

One handles nearly $2 trillion, the other less than $20 million. One is a publicly traded company that produces profit for shareholders, the other a small, private company that pays dividends to its clients. Nearly anybody can join one; membership in the other is limited to United Methodists in the Western PA Conference and their family members.

In the end, however, the two types of financial institutions attribute their success — however it is measured — to one factor: having a focus on the community and meeting clients' needs.

Although PNC Financial Services Inc. has a footprint sprawling from Boston to Dallas — and agreed to buy another bank that would stretch its franchises to California — it touts itself as a “Main Street bank.”

“Customers want to conduct business with people they know and trust, that can deliver the capabilities they need and who are committed to delivering a high-quality customer experience and service,” PNC senior vice president and retail banking region manager Julie Campbell said.

The very tangible stock price — which is up more than 25% in the past six months — is the result of the intangible “Main Street bank” experience, according to PNC's philosophy.

Like PNC, FNB Corp. calls Western Pennsylvania its home. As the second-largest bank based in Pittsburgh, First National Bank attributes its success to not only its technology or its expertise in both personal and commercial banking, but points toward its roots in this side of the state as a reason consumers continue to choose it over competitors.

“We believe customers continue to choose us because we have outstanding products and services, a deep commitment to the community and exceptional people. Our employees genuinely care about the well-being of our customers, our communities and each other,” said Vincent J. Delie Jr., chairman, president and CEO. “This year they have gone above and beyond to fulfill our duties as an essential organization and to make sure our customers have access to financial services, education and support.”

As one might expect, the focus on providing customer service is present, too, in the smaller, community-based credit unions.

Clearview Federal Credit Union vice president for digital strategy and marketing Bill Snider said that one of the major reasons clients choose credit unions is because with these smaller institutions it's clear that members are more than customers.

“Regardless of what business a consumer is dealing with, they don't want to be treated as just another number. They want to know that the business appreciates them and has their best interests at heart,” he said. “They also want to 'shop local.' These trends apply to banking as well.”

Snider said that Clearview's seven decade-long tenure in Western Pennsylvania, along with its clear image of being a local institution, allows the credit union to attract and retain consumers whom they treat “individually to provide them the solutions and advice that they need to meet their needs.”

Michele Jurysta, Armco Credit Union marketing manager, said one of the pros of credit unions is that they're owned by their members and are nonprofits. Credit unions' “true value,” she said is their investment of profits back to its membership and a culture to “place members' needs first.

“We offer a variety of services to enhance our members' lives. We provide no-cost, no-obligation financial planning for all members,” she said. “We will award $20,000 in scholarships this year, and we offer numerous online educational resources for our members of all ages.”

Armco Credit Union also plans to, in December, debut accounts specifically for youth that will “pay kids bonus money” when they grow their financial literacy. That, Jurysta said, is indicative of credit unions' goals.

“We don't just want to open accounts,” she said. “We want to teach kids to use and manage money responsibly and instill lifelong lessons.”

Somewhere between Armco and PNC lies WesBanco Bank Inc., which manages more than $12 billion in deposits across six states. It attributes its successes, too, to an ability to establish and retain relationships with clients.

Tony Rocco, president for WesBanco's Western Pennsylvania market, said the cliche that “'banking is a relationship business' applies now more than ever” and is a cornerstone of the West Virginia-based company's philosophy.

“This includes keeping in close contact with our customers and taking a grassroots approach to staying involved in the communities that we serve,” Rocco said. “We build on this foundation by providing a network of banking centers where customers can meet our team of experienced professionals face-to-face and other delivery channels, such as a nationwide network of over 50,000 ATMs and robust online and digital banking services that enable customers to bank at their convenience any time and place they choose.”

Delie said First National Bank's roots in Western Pennsylvania give its team on this half of the commonwealth the knowledge to make good banking decisions and the ability to do so, too.

“We have a great team in the market who are empowered to make decisions and who are also able to leverage the full scale of our outstanding commercial banking services and digital platform,” he added. “It's a very beneficial model for our clients.”

Even though a large portion of banking is handled via the Internet, on mobile applications or at ATMs, banks and credit unions alike rely not on technology but on relationships forged through interpersonal relationships and the provision of products that meet clients' needs.

“Financial services continues to be rooted in establishing strong relationships and, despite all of the change we've experienced this year, that fact continues to remain constant,” Campbell said.