Credit unions: Stop contacting, start connecting!

Too often I hear sales, service and marketing people state they wish they had more time and better ways to contact members, customers or clients. Well guess what? Contact is not enough and frankly, it’s not likely what any audience really needs or wants.

If you are like me, you live in a fast-paced, multi-tasking world with a variety of demands that must be answered daily. Face it; you’re a little stressed out. By now, it would have been great if new technology made our lives a little easier. But has that been the case? Now that we’re all wired and on-demand, it just seems like we are getting busier and busier. Well perhaps, your members feel exactly the same way. And the last thing they want from you is more “contact.”

“Contact” may be what we are all trying to escape. Seriously, do you want a salesperson to “contact” you? I think not. Like any of us, members have very specific needs, concerns and points of pain. I’d go as far to say that in the majority of cases, you likely have little idea as to what they are. That my friends, is a problem. I’d like to suggest that we stop “contacting” and start “connecting.” Connecting seems more meaningful, personal and perhaps emotional. For me, when I hear that someone wants to contact me, it implies that they want to do the talking. When they want to connect with me, it implies they want to do some serious listening. You can’t access member need without listening.

In the commoditized world of retail banking, customer engagement has become a key differentiator. I love the word “connect” because it implies that there’s a connection occurring and it’s more meaningful and perhaps more emotional. Emotional connections often determine the strength and length of the member relationship and they drive passion, loyalty and advocacy. According to studies by Zappos, connecting with consumers on an emotional level is critical, because if you do, they will be 300% more likely to recommend you. You do want more growth, right?

I believe that members require relevant engagement at appropriate times or moments. At Geezeo we often speak of “life infused financial experiences”, built around significant financial milestones, like getting married, having a child and buying a home. Yes, these are logical, important opportunities for credit unions to leverage via engagement and connection. But there are plenty of other ways to connect and many countless channels to leverage. Come to think of it, every transaction is an opportunity to genuinely connect, be it digital or face-to-face.  Let’s connect with members when they need us the most, on their terms.

Stop contacting. Start connecting. Just keep in mind that the quality of your member engagements is much more important than the frequency.