5 Easy Steps to Keeping Members Engaged

by: Brian Nutt, President/CEO, Captive Indoor Media

For the last 10 years I’ve been lucky enough to be intimately involved in the Community Financial Industry, interacting with both Banks and Credit Unions alike.  And no matter whom I’m talking with or what part of the industry they come from, I’ve learned that the most important part of the relationship between a customer and their vendor partner is the ability for each to show trust in the other.  Without trust, communication always breaks down and then both sides become disengaged.

Nobody wants a customer to leave but we have to accept that at some point, it is going to happen to all of us.  That doesn’t make it any easier but every organization should strive to learn from it so they can improve.  Consequently, if you don’t want your customers to leave before you’ve had a chance to digest the reasoning behind their decision, you need to consider if your Credit Union is actively doing the following:

1. Taking ownership – Since I started Captive I’ve preached to my employees to have a mindset of “Yes”.   The mindset of yes means that every time you have a conversation with a customer the inclination should be to find a way to say yes to their request.  It does not matter how large or small the customer is.  You should treat every customer as if they are your last.  So when a customer is upset, you take the blame and start off by saying yes regardless of where the blame actually lies.  When the conversation comes full circle you may end up saying no to every aspect of their request but if relationship strength exists and the effort level has been shown time and again, customers tend to understand and will meet in the middle.    Start off by taking ownership of the issue, even if it is not yours to take and then work from there.  Customers will take notice and stick with you.
2. Taking a deep breath – Coach your employees to listen on a 3 to 1 ratio.  If your customers are not talking more than you, it is likely that you are not giving them the opportunity to tell you what they are thinking.  As a business owner, I understand the importance of negative feedback and while I love hearing the good stuff, I really want to know where we need to improve.  Without a deep breath during conversations with customers, it is easy to turn off the two way communication flow and miss the opportunity for a critical relationship bridge to be constructed.  That bridge is often built by taking in criticism and then acting upon it.  Customers love when that happens and frankly, it is the easiest way to find the innovation every organization seeks.
3. Acknowledging there is always something better – Whether you are in the technology business or working for a Credit Union, there is always something new being introduced that can lure a customer’s attention away from you.  The worst thing you can do is ignore those innovations or take a knee jerk reaction to them by changing course mid-stream.  Instead, try to recognize the positive things a competitor is doing and learn from them. Never be afraid to say a product in the marketplace has positive attributes and might even be a better fit in some instances.  I’ve turned projects down in the past because they didn’t fit our model or because we simply didn’t have the right product for that customer.   Customers appreciate the honesty and will come back to you the next time they think you can help.
4. Practicing your cursive – In today’s world of eVites and Facebook conversations, nothing cuts through the clutter like a personal note.  Sending a customer a hand written note that references a prior conversation or even a simple event relative to them shows an investment of time and will not go without notice.  We send every customer a yearly service anniversary card signed by all of our employees.    It resonates and we often get great feedback on that simple effort.  Send a few thank you cards out and see what happens
5. Having Fun –  I don’t know anyone that doesn’t want to have fun or see others participating in something they enjoy.  Business is a serious thing but you’ve got to have some fun along the way.   Find something that allows your employees to let their hair down with customers.   When they see your organization with a personal spin to the professional relationship, it does wonders for how they react and interact with you when you need them the most.  Genuine, personal interaction goes a long way.

If you do the above five things, you can bet that less customers will leave and the ones that do go will be inclined to speak to you at some point in the future.  Everyone makes mistakes and customers know this.  It is what your organization takes away from those experiences that strengthen trust and deepen relationships between end consumers and their partner of choice.

Brian Nutt, President/CEO, Captive Indoor Media
After graduating from Marquette University with degrees in Advertising and Spanish, Brian began his formal career managing the international sales strategy for Fire King International.  In 1999, Brian was recruited by Global Crossing Telecommunications where he gained his technical background.  With a focus on Fortune 500 accounts in the financial industry, he consistently produced results in the top 10 company-wide.  After leaving Global Crossing, he founded a non-traditional marketing company called Feet on the Street. Today, through Brian’s vision and leadership, Captive Indoor Media has quickly become a leader in the community financial institution digital signage market with installations across all 50 states, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  www.captiveindoormedia.com