Milkshake It Up
Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business School professor and disruptive innovation expert, makes us think, doesn’t he? He inspired me to look for answers to these strategic questions:
Why did we “get hired” as a financial institution? What have we “sold?” How do we ensure it creates a healthier, wealthier and wiser membership?
So back to the fast food story. The job that the credit union “milkshake” was hired to do met that member’s short-term need and want. Did it exceed and truly create a valued, long-term relationship between the member and credit union? Don’t get me wrong, that member keeps coming back for a shake. It’s served with a smile, gives her a stable something to do with her time and helps her get on with her day, but are we doing anything to help her with her not-so-healthy, wealthy nor wise weekly habit?
Are these the typical relationships that many credit unions have prepared for and served up through our collective efforts? If so, how’s that job working for—the member, the credit union itself and the community at large? Are we a healthier, wealthier and wiser community for the job we’ve done?
Or maybe, just maybe, your credit union has been able to move your members from a “job you were hired to do” into “work you are actively engaged to grow with” as partners? Has your message centered on getting in shape together, engaging in real discovery and finding out how to best serve it up?
If the answer is no to any of these questions, consider these options:
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