This is a chance to do things NOW that will set you up for what's NEXT

What you can do NOW

LimboLand. The never-ending CoronaVirus Vocation Vacation. Whatever you call it, we’ve all had to do a lot of adjusting to our shared New Reality. Some of us have adapted well.

Others, well, not so much.

But if you look at it in a certain way, you just may start to see this as an amazing opportunity to rethink, reorganize and re-prioritize what you do. It’s a chance to build something better, smooth those rough edges, and get back to those plans that you swore you’d get back to but haven’t yet.

This “problem” is also an opportunity.

This is a chance to do things NOW that will set you up for what’s NEXT:

Listen to your members.

How have current events affected your members? They all have new routines, new processes, new insights into what works, what is important to them and what is not. Whether you start taking polls or simply ask, now is the time to reach out. What are they worried about, and what do they need? What would your members like to accomplish in the future, and how can your credit union help?

Make all communication two-way.

Sure, you’ve been posting important information on your website and social media pages, but is anyone actively responding to comments and questions from your members? Have you checked your FAQs and chatbot conversations to make sure members are getting the answers they were looking for?

Determine which processes are more of a problem than asset.

What active problems do your members face with your internal processes? Is your voicemail system up to the job of connecting with everyone’s home office? Is your intranet accessible outside of your locations? Is it now so obvious that your paper loan applications need to move online that it can’t be ignored any longer?

Take a deep dive into your stats.

What are the trends on Google Analytics for your website? What can you find out from your home banking, and mobile apps? Have certain types of usage like mobile deposit increased or decreased? By which demographics? Are members and non-members able to easily find out how you can help them? What solutions seem to attract the most interest? Can you track that interest all the way to a member email/phone call/application?

Compare your branch traffic to see what has changed.

Are the same walk-in members now driving through? Or are you seeing different traffic? Is your limit on mobile deposits keeping small businesses from making deposits electronically, forcing them to drive-thru instead?

Don’t forget to collect member stories.

Your superhero staff has probably been jumping through hoops and over obstacles, even working minor miracles for several members. Management has likely approved as many skip-a-pays, visa balance transfers and short terms loans as possible. Now is the time to ask members to share stories about how the CU has helped them, so that you will be able to share them with others later, and recognize your heroes.

Kent Dicken
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