Eventually the Fed will raise rates
One would have to living in a cave to not be aware of the widespread speculation as to when the Fed will raise rates and by how much. For the past seven years there has [...]
News Archives
Growing your credit union through lateral thinking
I talk a lot about the idea of lateral thinking – the art of approaching problems from new or non-obvious directions. It’s like thinking outside of the box – but a better way to imagine it [...]
Two rats roaming your credit union
“Oh, you’re maze smart.” Apparently not, I was too slow. Damn! Being an introvert and spending several days a month in airplanes is not a good mix. I typically grab my Bose earbuds before [...]
Tuition costs: How can your credit union help your members?
Total student debt in this country now surpasses $1 trillion and is growing every day. For many families, the “American dream” of a college education now translates into long-term debt and financial hardship. Even state [...]
EMV goes live: What to expect
In the coming months, EMV security technology will begin appearing at many of the nation’s checkout counters as merchants work diligently to meet U.S. EMV liability shift set by Visa, MasterCard, American Express [...]
Millennials aren’t satisfied with their credit union’s rewards programs
The role a financial institution plays in the lives of consumers has shifted dramatically. Even though everyone knows this, many credit unions are doing far too little to adapt to the winds of change. Thankfully [...]
Does your credit union need a digital marketing assessment?
You go to the doctor for three reasons: You hurt (Pain) You need a yearly physical (Preventative maintenance) You are following up per the doctor's orders (Ongoing treatment) Depending on the reason for your visit, [...]
Setting 2016 goals for your Voice of the Member program
Each fall, Member Loyalty Group receives numerous inquiries as credit unions plan for the next year and develop new goals for their Voice of the Member programs. With more than 2.1 million member surveys [...]
Cyber security assessment for credit unions
Cyber attacks make headlines almost daily. Once an organization is breached the spotlight on the issue remains well after the technical issues are resolved. A breach and the attendant publicity can result in brand damage, [...]
The power of direct mail
Last month I received this email: As of today we have 617 people that responded to our email request letter. Outstanding! I thought we might get 200 or so. Thank you so much for helping [...]
Reasonable compensation is a critical component of a credit union’s success
Over time, paying executives too little risks starving the credit union of critical managerial talent. Paying too much wastes assets and risks embarrassing the board and sowing discord among employees and with members. This article [...]
Attention pays: 3 strategies to manage technology distractions
According to Scratch Attention survey ‘67% of people said technology is creating new distractions’… obviously! I am surprised it’s not higher! As credit union leaders if we want to have more impact on our [...]
Challenges of universal branch staffing
Branch networks have long been an enigma for financial institutions (FIs). They are the most public manifestation of your brand and they are still where most customer relationships start and expand. On the other hand, [...]
Building transaction volume and cardholder loyalty with card controls
Financial institutions are constantly competing in digital and mobile technologies. On top of that, nontraditional players are going after consumer relationships and reducing the big institutions’ relevancy. To implement a new strategy, institutions face [...]
Social media saturation
We read an awful lot these days about the importance of social media in corporate communication strategies. Story after story spells out how companies invest untold millions of dollars in Facebook ads, promoting tweets on [...]