Great—not just good—service is the reason!

As a business consultant, I have traveled the USA and abroad over the last 30 years, visiting, working, and interacting with credit unions, retail outlets, airlines, restaurants, hotels, banks, and a host of other “service providers.” What is it I most often encounter? Marginal/impersonal service!

The reason so many organizations (even some of our credit unions) are falling short regarding service is that they are concentrating on canned one-shot training programs instead of focusing on developing service staff and taking a long-term approach to member/customer service.

In addition, credit unions must keep the value of creating lifetime, life-stage needs-relationships with our members. When members are viewed only as a transaction, as with banks, the result is cursory service.

Providing great service is our key competitive advantage in the financial services marketplace! In addition to providing lower loan rates, fewer/lower fees, providing financial education, and having a socially responsible community footprint focus—personalized member service with solutions tailored to individual member needs is paramount in showing why credit unions are a better deal than all the other players.

Vital for credit unions is to identify what you want the member to experience and to weave the outcome into everything that impacts them. The credit union story—our philosophy of people helping people/member-owned culture—is the credit union difference and should be constantly told, reinforced, shared with members, and the community. 

Employees should always work in the present and treat each member-owner as special. Staff should be trained to look for opportunities to create unforgettable member service experience moments one member at a time.

How we specially treat our members (not as customers) should be looked upon as our key competitive advantage in the financial services industry. Credit unions should leverage personal, friendly service to the max to improve member satisfaction, loyalty, and business outcomes at every touchpoint opportunity.

Becoming a more “member-centric” credit union is what it’s all about in terms of service. Valuing the member more will deepen the relationship and keep them doing more repeat/referral business with your credit union.

But what is often overlooked here is this—it all starts with how credit unions value and treat their employees. If you continually train and treat your employees in a caring way, they will care for and serve your members in a caring, world-class fashion with a sense of purpose and passion.

So the secret to providing great (not just good), first-class service is no secret at all—treat your employees like you would like for them to treat your members!

I will end with some great credit union member service maxims to ponder: