The expert and the equal
As leaders in sales and service, your financial understanding and recommendations are greatly appreciated by your members. Your members expect you to lead them into appropriate products and services for their unique circumstances. A straightforward and helpful method to keep your outlook on providing the utmost value for your members’ expectations is to be an expert and an equal during each member interaction. Here’s how.
Be an Expert
Know your products and services – cold. Comprehensive product familiarity means less time clarifying features and more time describing solutions.
Explain the precise benefit your member will receive. If your credit union will save your member money, earn your member more money, or add convenience to their life, your member needs to know exactly how.
Give examples. Utilize actual stories from your members regarding how your products add practical and noticeable value to their lives.
Make matter-of-fact recommendations. While your member will make the ultimate decision, provide the leadership your member expects with a proposal that provides the greatest overall significance.
Follow through. When decisions necessitate more time or information, display your commitment to a lasting relationship with orderly follow through and support toward the next step in the sales and service process.
Be an Equal
Be sincere and welcoming. Introduce yourself by name and learn and use your member’s name. Through CRM or the insight you have about a member, build a personal connection.
Listen for the result your member wants to achieve. Your member stopped by with specific intent; learn the reason for the visit and meet the explicit need before moving on to further business.
Be human. You’re dealing with your member’s finances, be they notable, ordinary, or lackluster. Demonstrate understanding, consideration, and discretion.
See the long-term value of a relationship. Your members rely on you for the best advice. An extension of follow through, your commitment to your members’ best interests is often a process that continues past an initial transaction.
Thank your member. Your members have an array of choices for financial services and they selected your credit union. Thank them for their choice and articulate your commitment to enriching the benefit they receive from the credit union they own.
My friend and fellow professional speaker, Jim Cathcart, says, “The highest level of business is an act of friendship.” Be that unparalleled friend for your members with your expertise, camaraderie, and commitment to their success.
