A member advisory board with a difference
Relationship. Communication. Trust. Understanding. Hold up…are we on the same page? I am not talking about a marriage here, folks. These are things that most credit unions want with their members, and what most members want from their credit union.
So what if we took it to the next level?
The Vision
My vision is to enhance the relationships, communication, trust, and understanding that we currently have with our members by creating a strategic network of individuals who will provide input and feedback on our Credit Union. This strategic network, a.k.a. “advisory board” may sound like a whole lot of boring. I get it. It may be the thought of a stuffy group of suits, that only care about their own wants and needs that leaves you cringing. (Ahem…you may be thinking of that dirty 4 letter word, B-A-N-K. Let’s not go there.) Or it may be the question of “Why do we need another board, don’t we already have one?” These, and many others, are all perfectly acceptable thoughts, but I am confident that I can demonstrate the value in this project.
The Inspiration
One of the biggest challenges we face in our Minnesota market is a struggle with our identity. When Royal Credit Union entered this new market from Western Wisconsin, there were many elements to overcome. The communities were different. The demographic was different. The way members embraced technology was different. As a Branch Manager, running 3 branches in the Twin Cities metro area that serve 12 counties, over 200 cities, thousands of communities, and a population well over 3 million people, it can be perplexing to know and anticipate the needs of our members, businesses, and communities.
