I’m Ugly: A Letter From Your Credit Union Website

by: James Robert Lay, Grower of Relationships, PTP NEW MEDIA & CU*SWAG

Dear Credit Union,

I have wanted to write this letter to you for a very long time. It has taken me awhile to gather the strength and courage to tell you how I really feel. But now I will do just that.

I’m ugly, feel neglected and I am sick and tired of being made second best to my physical branch brothers and sisters.

You have been saying forever that I am the branch of the future, yet you never invest in me like you do my physical branch brothers and sisters.  They always get the best of everything.  The fresh coats of paint, new light bulbs, nightly cleanings, upgraded or remodeled looks, extended drive through lanes, branch monitors and the list goes on and on.

Heck…you may even decide to build a new one, but have not paid any attention to me at all in years.  Why?

Is it because I am virtual and not physical that I have become an after thought when talking about growth plans and strategy?  Just because I live online does not mean it’s cheap or free to make sure I am taken care of.  I need to be invested in just like physical branches, although it won’t take nearly as much though to make me look and function better. It’s also more than just design and aesthetics as there are always new processes and functions that can be added to make it easier for members to use me.

I am not saying you always forget about me completely.

How many times has everyone at the credit union asked you to “put this on the home page of the website… it’s important” and you can’t say no.  I used to be beautiful, but now feel like a cork board that people pass by and never take notice of because it is full of notes and messages that no one cares about.

Would you really plaster your physical branch walls with every message and promotion that everyone thinks is important and needs to be put up?

There have been many times you wanted to dress me up with every little third party promo that comes in and does not conform to credit union brand standards, yet you put them on my home page anyway. Even worse, many of these third party promos are animated and when you get too many on my home page, I feel like a Christmas tree with blinking lights.

Lastly, when was the last time you gave me a makeover? Let me ask you a question. Would you still wear the same clothes from 1999?

You would never want your members to walk into a branch and it look like an outdated, dingy building with paint chipping off the walls and lights flickering on and off.  Then why is it that I look like crap?

I guess what I am saying is that I get the most member traffic than all of the physical branches combined.  Think about investing in me like you do them.

Much love and respect,

Your (ugly and neglected) credit union website

In February of 2002, during his sophomore year at San Jacinto College, James Robert founded PTP NEW MEDIA from his bedroom. Since then, PTP NEW MEDIA has helped credit unions build relationships with members with the help of offline, online, internal and external marketing channels.  Their work has won many state and national marketing awards. He is also behind the movement to help make credit unions fashionably cool with CU*SWAG and was named the first “CU Times Trailblazer 40 Below” of 2012.  James Robert completed his MBA in 2006 and has enjoyed speaking at many different credit union conferences and events.  www.ptpnewmedia.com  www.cuswag.com