Part II: Improving the “people” part of the member experience
Recently, I shared with you two of the fundamental principles for improving the member experience – a topic so important to the growth and sustainability of credit unions that it’s been coined the phrase, “the role that belongs to all of us.” Today, I’d like to dive into the third, and perhaps, most important principle for member experience excellence – engagement throughout the member journey.
Engage start-to-finish throughout the member journey.
If you have ever been in a service scenario where a company representative was more eager to mark your case complete than to ensure that your issue was resolved, you know how frustrating that can be. Members always want to feel valued when they engage with your credit union, and as a member-centric institution, it’s paramount that you give them that experience. Gone are the days of interacting with members at the point-of-problem exclusively. To truly enhance the member experience, credit unions must engage with members before issues arise, as well as after a solution has been delivered.
For example, let’s say a member comes to you for a pre-approval letter for a new home loan, and you notice no activity on the account several weeks later. Beyond placing a standard follow-up call to learn the status of the new home purchase, you might encourage your loan officer to invest some time and resources into personal, monthly emails checking in on your members’ needs. Relevant seminar, webinar and e-learning invites are additional ways to engage your members, show them you care and elevate their experience with your credit union brand.
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