Are your members hesitant to adopt ITMs? One credit union has an innovative solution

ITM adoption can be a controversial topic with members. From concerns that they’ll be losing access to real human service to worries about new technology, automation, and branch staff losing their jobs, many members show a real reluctance to using these machines.

So how can you break through that resistance?

Many credit unions are building branches with flexibility for staff to greet members at the door and introduce them to ITMs. This helps with teaching members how to use them and breaking through technological barriers, and it is an opportunity to explain that these machines connect them with a real person.

But BluPeak (formerly USE) Credit Union came up with a unique solution that cuts through ITM resistance like a knife through butter.

The credit union has an ITM contact center back of house in their new Mission Valley branch, and staff are floated between the lobby and contact center.

This means that when members use an ITM, they see a familiar face. They’re seeing on-screen a person who may have greeted them at the door last time, answered their questions in person, and helped them plan their financial lives.

“They’re the same branch employees, they’re just on a screen now. And they can help more people,” said Amber Fielder, VP of Marketing at BluPeak Credit Union. “Members are hesitant at first, but it’s the relationships that staff have built that get members to try the ITMs. And once they try it, they typically like it.”

This strategy blurs the line between physical and digital channels, and it gives some insight to what a truly omnichannel strategy can look like.

And the best part?

BluPeak did not need to acquire extra space for this contact center.

As branch footprints shrink, real estate footprints are staying the same. This means that it’s often the case that an ideal location will be larger than necessary for a credit union branch. But rather than looking at this as a problem, credit unions such as BluPeak Credit Union, CBC Federal Credit Union, and Fibre Federal Credit Union are coming up with unique ways to use this excess square footage.

The human aspect of banking is a major differentiator for credit unions. It’s why many of your members chose your institution. And finding ways to emphasize this human element while rolling out new digital tools and platforms can be an effective strategy to increase adoption.

Have you experienced resistance to ITMs or other digital channels? If so, how have you overcome that resistance?