Going the extra mile (or 4,000) for credit union members
Viviana Gomez, Contact Center Manager at a Colombian cooperative, completes a week-long crash course at Unitus to bring best practices to members back home.
PORTLAND, OR (May 16, 2019) — Unitus takes their “cooperative” identity seriously – very seriously. Not content to cooperate merely with their city, state, or even national community, they have yet again extended the bounds of their collaborations. This time, they hosted a Contact Center Manager from a Colombian cooperative to a one-week intensive crash course to both learn and teach ways to better serve members.
Viviana Gomez is the Contact Center Manager at Financiera Comultrasan, a credit union based in Bucaramanga, Colombia with $400 million in assets. Her unique opportunity arose when Steve Stapp, Unitus President/CEO and Chairman of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) Board of Directors, dreamed up the collaboration with Jaime Chavez Suarez, President of Financiera Comultrasan, and fellow WOCCU Board member.
“Our Latin American family have so much talent. By sharing some of the lessons we have learned, we can help them succeed at a level greater than they have before,” said Stapp. “By learning about their challenges and victories, we can benefit from the lessons they can teach us and more creatively serve our members here in the Northwest.”
Gomez’ program was fast, thorough, and far-reaching. She worked closely with Unitus AVP (and former Contact Center Manager) Char Sears, shadowing employees to learn about their responsibilities, skills, and major initiatives. That was only the start; her experience would include meetings with Unitus’ Chief of Human Resources, Member Loan Center Management, Mobile & Online Banking team, and even the credit union’s Community and Business Development wing.
“When you have knowledge that can benefit others, how could you not share it?” asked Stapp. “Transparency and cooperation, after all, are the pillars of our worldwide Credit Union Movement.”
About Unitus Community Credit Union
At Unitus, we’re dedicated to improving lives in the communities we serve. As a member-owned local credit union, we invest in people by doing the right thing. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, we provide support for community groups through volunteerism and financial donations. Our 105,000 members count on us to serve them and their communities; our 300+ employees share that passion for service. Learn about the local impact Unitus makes by visiting unitusccu.com.
About the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU)
The World Council of Credit Unions is the leading global trade association and development agency for credit unions and cooperative financial institutions. They promote the self-sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Learn more about the World Council at www.woccu.org.
