Are You Prepared for the Twists?
Originally posted on forwardbanker.com.
Guest post written by Scott P. Wallace, Vice President of Marketing, Deluxe Corporation.
Deluxe Financial Services is the NAFCU Services Preferred Partner for Check Printing, Online Check Ordering, Check Fraud Prevention, and Member Loyalty Solutions.
Traveling the Trip of Banking
Picture this: Itâs 1950. A family of seven, plus their beloved pet dog, piles into a station wagon and sets out for a cross-country road trip with the radio blaring tunes as they cruise down the two-lane highway. 
There are no mobile phones to ask for directions and no GPS to keep them on track to their destination. Itâs just mom, dad, five kids, Fido, a map book, and the open road.
Fast forward to today. Itâs 2013. A family of four sets out on a road trip, but now with the aid of a GPS-enabled smartphone, apps to keep them abreast of road constructions and detours and a portable DVD player to keep the kids entertained.
Weâre still taking road trips, but how weâre getting there and the tools we use are different.
And the same could be said in todayâs financial environment. Consumers still rely on their financial institution, but how they receive communication and the tools they use vary.
So how can you, as a credit union professional, create a customer road map that satisfies the tech-savvy consumer while still appealing to the âold schoolâ consumer?
The end objectives have stayed the same, but how we get there is quite different. A recent Efmal Capgemini study noted that financial institutions should focus on âa well laid out roadmap which meets the competitive offerings in the marketplace.â
Everyone has their own way to navigate
Everyone has their own mapâyour customers are interested in a product or service, but how they get there is different. Some still might use the traditional ways, like visiting a branch location, while others adopt tech-savvy methods like mobile banking. Some may respond to direct mail, while others would rather read an electronic brochure on their tablet.
Detours
Itâs impossible to please every customer all the time. So how do you handle a customer thatâs having a difficult time obtaining the information they need? Having a process in place to overcome potential roadblocks makes your customers feel taken care of and appreciated.
Listen to what you want
Everyone chooses what to listen to. There are several channels of communication which your financial institution is familiar with and has used. In this age of endless information, people are bombarded with messages. So, how are you getting the right message through at the right time to the right customers?
Find what youâre looking for
Customers might search on their mobile device, post a question to Facebook, visit a branch location to speak to a customer service representative or email the financial institution. Are these methods of communication easily accessible to your customers?
Creating an effective communication roadmap for your customers is important. Has your financial institutionâs map changed to help customers find what theyâre looking for with you?
More educational resources and contact information are available at www.nafcu.org/Deluxe.
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