Solid internal service enables solid external service

by. Laura Lynch

I stopped to count the number of CUES staff who helped me serve a CUES member the other day. The total was three: one co-worker generated an invoice for me to pass on to the member; another talked me through ideas on how to get resources to the member; and a third committed to following up with the member to help on another question. Our goal was serving the member. None of us likely stopped to consider how we had served one another.

Credit unions find themselves in the same situation. Member service is the end goal. And so it gets a lot of focus, resources and attention. External service is measured, and the success or failure of external service may even affect a front-line employee’s employment status or bonus.

But what about the critical role of internal service? How does a front-line person provide information to the member without resources from IT, marketing, collections and other areas?

“Credit unions don’t necessarily view support areas as service areas. We call them the ‘back office,'” said Michael Neill, CSE, during a recent CUES webinar, “The Critical Role of Internal Service in Credit Union Sales & Service Culture.” Neill is president of Michael Neill and Associates, Inc., Atlanta, and CUES’ strategic provider for ServiStar and the Internal Service Survey. (Listen to the webinar recording.)

continue reading »