Follow these on-boarding tips to help ensure you’re providing a seamless – and helpful – new member experience.
We’ve all been excited about the purchase of new software or an app, but then had our excitement quickly turn to frustration and despair when we feel like it’s up to us to figure out how to make it work. Your members could be feeling this pain about your services as a whole when they join your credit union.
As financial marketers, we may take for granted that we already know our credit union’s product and service offerings inside and out. We have a deep understanding of what those solutions are and how to use them. We tend to forget that the average American is not as savvy as those of us ingrained in the financial services industry.
When members join a financial institution, they go through a similar process: open an account, receive a folder packed with account specifics, legalities and random brochures, and then they’re sent on their way.
While the credit union employee engaged with new members may have provided fantastic service and cross-selling opportunities, the member is still left to figure out their personal next steps when they walk away. Scary.
Declaw Your On-Boarding Process
We can’t assume that after an initial encounter with the credit union that new members are eager to transition all of their financial accounts our way. What we can do is focus on providing actions with the member in mind geared toward deepening new relationships and building loyalty. Try these tips:
- Take time. When opening a new account, encourage your employees to go over provided materials and walk new members through logging into their account and how to use your online banking software. Go a step further and have members download your Mobile App and register their device while they’re at the branch.
- Give a quick start. Instead of handing over a stack of brochures, provide a “quick start guide” with relevant information new members need to perform basic tasks such as utilizing online banking, signing up for direct deposit, moving their accounts and switching loans to the credit union.
- Act now. Incentivize members to act immediately with a coupon book. Train your staff to review the coupons with members when they open their account – and utilize an email series to remind them of these offers.
- Stay engaged. Over the course of the next few weeks, send an email series that instructs the new member on how to utilize and enroll in specific services. Focus on small actions that quickly deepen the member relationship.
- Provide a personal connection. A simple thank you card including the name and contact information of a specific employee can go far. People are more likely to ask for help if they have a specific person they can reach out to versus sitting through phone prompts and hold music.
We all know the pain of feeling helpless and left fending for ourselves. With a few simple steps, you can help your new members – who are extremely valuable to your credit union – feel connected and poised for a mutually beneficial relationship. Bonus: all your great marketing efforts and resources put forth won’t be wasted.
You Have Less Than 60 Days
It’s always been said that if a new member doesn’t switch significant services over to the credit union within 90 days, they likely will never become a long-term, loyal member. This timeline continues to decline; we estimate it to be closer to 45-60 days.
Utilizing our ON-BOARD Program, you’ll gain access to our marketing framework designed to jumpstart member loyalty instantly. Interested? Let’s Chat.
