It’s easy to leave a credit union

As I write this article, it occurs to me that I may have written about this incident before. Since there are a number of lessons to draw from life experiences, I’ll continue.

My insurance agent is Michael Glick. Michael and I have known each other for around 15 years and are friends. Michael always takes my call and goes above and beyond to serve us in times of trouble as he did when our son was in a car accident three years ago. We got the call that all parents dread. “You don’t know me but I’m with your son. He’s been in an accident.”

We arrived on the scene panicked as we pushed our way through onlookers towards the ambulance and firetruck to find our son’s new SUV upside down in the intersection. Our son was fine, although shaken up. I immediately called Michael for advice on how to handle the situation. He said “I’ll be right there.”

Michael actually drove to the scene of the accident and personally walked us through the process. Michael didn’t act like an insurance agent, he acted like a friend. When I see Michael in our community, he never tries to sell more insurance. He is our friend. Consequently if he ever reveals a hole in our policy, I take him at his word. I have a lot of friends who sell insurance and are constantly asking me to change our provider. I always decline even though I may be able to get a slightly cheaper rate. Why? Because it’s not easy to leave a friend.

Credit unions serve a unique and valuable need in the community. Are your employees telling your story? Are they looking at members as friends rather than “customers?” Commitment is emotional. Loyalty is an act of the heart. It is easy to leave a credit union. Not so easy to leave a friend.

Patrick Henry is an entrepreneur, speaker, and humorist who delivers funny and entertaining presentations to credit unions on how to elevate the member experience. www.patrickhenryspeaker.com