How to make a great first impression with credit union new accounts
When welcoming new members into your credit union, your goal is to make an outstanding first impression, ensuring they feel confident that their Member Service Representative is someone worthy of their trust. Research has shown that trustworthiness and confidence account for 80 to 90 percent of first impressions.1 The tricky part is it only takes 3-5 seconds to make that first impression, so most of the work that goes into conveying these traits isn’t actually accomplished in the meeting, but in your MSR’s presentation, appearance, and efficient systems and resources to support their work for opening credit union new accounts.
What is Image Management?
According to the Image Consulting Business Institute2, Image Management is “the ongoing, pro-active process of evaluating and controlling the impact of your appearance on you, on others, and the achievement of your goals.” Image Management does not require you to be a runway model in high-end expensive clothing, nor does it require you to spend beyond your means to drive a luxury car. Rather, it is demonstrating pride in yourself by your appearance: ensuring your clothing is clean, pressed and appropriate. If your hair looks like you just got out of bed and would rather not be at work, members can sense this and get the impression you would rather not be helping them. A smirk or look of confusion on a face is immediately detracting from trustworthiness. If there is something negatively distracting about your appearance or presence, this can erode the level of confidence your new member will have when opening a new account.
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