Three foundational building blocks need to be optimized to consistently deliver engaging member experiences over the phone: people, processes and leadership.

Our journey of nine articles will cover each in detail. Part one discussed hiring for top performance and performance management. Part two covers processes. This is the fifth article overall and the second on processes. Specifically, we tackle how to personalize phone experiences with little or no cost by using the following three tactics: Do more than just offer French fries, pull a Harry Houdini, and heed the advice of Destiny’s Child and Dale Carnegie.

According to a RightNow Customer Impact Report, 86 percent of consumers are willing to pay up to 25 percent more for a better customer experience. Therefore, it’s imperative for credit unions, especially those facing such common challenges as selling commoditized products and services, downward pressure on margins and building member loyalty, to figure out a way to improve the overall member experience.

One component of a better member experience is personalization. By building deeper relationships with members, credit unions can take a step forward in combating these trends by delivering personalized experiences. That’s because, over time, these experiences can help make price a little less important to members.

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