Credit unions’ actions speak louder than words
To build member’s trust, credit union leaders must consider all the ways members can feel respected. Respect for their time. Respect for their hopes and fears. Respect for their lifestyles and work arrangements.
Banking for many members is just one more errand on a long to-do list. If they have to go into a branch for a simple transaction, that is not showing respect for their time. Ensure your credit union website speaks to them and has all the modern capabilities members crave, because they’re comparing you to every experience from scheduling an appointment at the DMV to loading up their Amazon cart.
When prospective members are researching where the best certificate rates are or where they can get a car loan even though they have a ding or two on their credit, where will they turn? The internet, so your website must feature a modern design and easy navigation, as well as demonstrate respect for your member-owners by sharing a story that resonates with them through your credit union website and marketing. It will show you understand them, and that you’re one of them.
And build trust that your credit union will be there for them. Your credit union website can be available to members 24/7 to fulfill many of their needs. To create a frictionless experience:
- Present a practical and concise navigation bar.
- Ensure your members and your credit union’s priority pages are never more than a click away
- Employ a chatbot to assist members after hours, or really any hours. (The good news is 69% of respondents to a Cognizant survey said they’d prefer chatbots for receiving instant responses and are most likely to use them for service-related inquiries.)
Your members will thank you. Know this: If your credit union website does not provide a great user experience, 88% of visitors will not return. That equals a lot of lost opportunity if you’re still running a poorly designed, outdated website.
Your employees will thank you, too. Task-saturated employees become frustrated by processes that waste their time and drain their mental energy. One task we hear about frequently is the difficulty marketers have updating their credit unions’ websites or waiting days if not weeks for updates to be completed by their web developer. (Not respectful of your credit union’s time, is it?)
Use a platform that is simple for your team members to update or contract third-party developers who are responsive to your credit union’s needs as information is changing all the time. Making team members’ jobs easier will keep them happy, because you’re demonstrating respect for their time and energy. In turn, they will be in a position to serve your members even better.
Plus, your credit union will be able to leverage its website for so much more! Providing regularly updated, actionable content members can sink their teeth into is a great way to build trust, loyalty and business. Brands that employ blogging receive 126% more leads than those that don’t, according to Content Hacker. It’s also a fantastic shot in the arm for your credit union website’s search engine optimization to help more prospective members learn about your credit union and what you can do for them.
Take control of your online presence and make sure it reflects the brand you want your credit union to have and grow – one that’s always there for members, respects the uniqueness of your membership and provides solutions, day or night, for life’s challenges.
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