Press
CUDL Announces Grand Prize Winner Of Smart Giveaway Sweepstakes
Contact: Bill Meyer
CU Direct Corporation
909.481.2360
bill.meyer@cudirect.com
Ontario, CA, July 26, 2011 ¾ CUDL (www.cudl.com), administrators of the nation’s largest auto lending network for credit unions has announced the grand prize winner in the company’s SMART Giveaway Contest for credit union members.
CUDL’s year-long SMART Giveaway contest gave credit union members the opportunity to win twelve monthly prizes, consisting of $500 American Express gift cards, as well as the opportunity to win the sweepstakes’ grand prize, having their credit union car loan paid in full by CUDL. CUDL credit union members were entered into the SMART Giveaway by requesting an online auto quote from a CUDL dealer through the CUDL AutoSMART vehicle research and shopping website or by applying for an instant pre-approved auto loan through their credit union’s SMART Approval program.
Eric Franklin, a member of Oklahoma Employees Credit Union from Lexington, Oklahoma, was recently awarded the sweepstakes grand prize, with CUDL paying off the balance of his credit union auto loan. Eric was presented with the grand prize by Oklahoma Employees Credit Union’s Ryan Kilman, indirect lending director and Linda Csaba, loan officer, along with Josh Amaton, regional credit union manager for CUDL.
“The sweepstakes provided members from each of our 950 credit union partners the opportunity to discover the many advantages of financing their auto loans through their credit union,” said Mike Federoff, director of product solutions at CUDL. “With only about 30% of members looking to their credit union for auto loans, the goal of the sweepstakes was to help our credit unions increase awareness of their auto loan services with their members and to drive new loan opportunities.”
CUDL’s SMART Approval program enables credit unions to provide their members with a simple and convenient online pre-approval application and loan decision, through the credit union’s website, that streamlines the overall loan process, and eliminates member inconvenience of waiting for a loan decision at the dealership. As a result, credit unions enhance their ability to retain member loans, while also improving the member’s overall auto buying experience. With the ability to provide pre-approved loan amounts for their members online using this program, credit unions are able to make vehicle shopping more efficient for members, while also diminishing the risk of fraud.
Earlier this spring, CUDL unveiled their new Apply for a Loan feature, an extension of the SMART Approval program, which provides credit unions with a mobile solution that helps retain member loan opportunities. Members can apply for an auto loan through their credit union “on the fly” from their iPhone, as well as through other popular Apple products, including the iPad™, and iPod Touch®. As a result, credit unions enhance their ability to retain member loans, while also improving the member’s overall auto buying experience.
Developed specifically for credit unions and their member base, the CUDL AutoSMART Program and website provides credit unions a flexible, versatile vehicle shopping and research site that they can brand, customize, and market to members as their own. As a result, the program provides credit unions with a key resource designed to enhance overall member satisfaction and drive member financing. For credit union members, the AutoSMART website provides a state-of-the-art car shopping experience, offering robust vehicle research capabilities and an expanded library of online automobile shopping resources, designed to help them get a good deal on their next vehicle purchase.
“Nine out of ten buyers arrange for financing at the time of purchase,” stated Joe Greenwald, vice president of marketing and communications at CUDL. “The SMART Approval and CUDL AutoSMART programs help credit unions greatly improve their ability to secure members’ auto loans. Both programs heighten credit unions’ ability to be involved throughout the member’s vehicle buying process, while also helping to advance member loyalty.”
About CUDL
Based in Ontario, California, CUDL® (a CU Direct Corporation flagship brand) is the leader in point-of-purchase and indirect lending services for the credit union industry. As a Credit Union-owned Service Organization, CUDL develops custom applications, training and marketing programs to help credit unions achieve their indirect vehicle lending goals.
More than 950 credit unions and 6,800 dealerships nationwide rely on CUDL’s national lending network to better serve members’ vehicle shopping needs and drive member financing at the point-of-purchase. For more information about CUDL visit www.cudl.com and www.cudlautosmart.com.