Musings from the CU Suite

Written by Anthony Demangone

Being a child of the '80s, I loved the A-Team.  It involved everything a young boy could want.  Car chases. Guns and explosions, although no one seemed to aim very well.  And B.A. Barracus.  The scariest, coolest man alive.

Hannibal Smith, the leader of the A-Team, was my favorite. After the A-Team narrowly escaped capture or death, often by the skin of their teeth, he'd smile with a cigar in his mouth, and utter the following:

I love it when a plan comes together.  (Youtube.com)

That's how I feel today.  I've read three articles this morning, and by golly, they simply lined up and shouted at me as if they were written together.  And they shouted the following.  If you want to succeed, you'd better do the following:

1. Keep on improving.
2. Give them something they can't get anyplace else.
3. Focus on your members/customers. 

Really?  That's the inspiration? That's so simple. We all know that, right?

I'm not so sure.  These things sound simple, but they are very difficult to execute.  I'll let the articles do the talking.

1.  Keep on improving. Of course, everyone wants to improve.  But saying and doing are different things.  This post from Seth Godin, hammers away at the difficulties of improvement. 

Improvement comes with many costs.

It costs time and money to make something better. It's risky, as well, because trying to make something better might make it worse. Perhaps making it better for the masses makes it worse for the people who already like it. And risk brings fear, because that means someone is going to be held responsible, and so the lizard brain wants out.

But you have to keep improving things. Tinkering with them. This is sometimes called Kaisen.  John Spence has a great video regarding "Personal Kaizen."    No matter how difficult the process of improvement may be, you have to soldier through.  If you don't, one of your competitors will.

2. Give them something they can't get someplace else.  I read a lot of association literature, because at the end of the day, that's what NAFCU is.  This post by Tom Morrison really hit home.  In short, every business must provide services and products that members can't get anyplace else.  And that's hard to do in today's interconnected world.  

You offer checking accounts, but so do others.  You offer savings accounts.  And share certificates.  And online banking. You may have a Twitter feed and a blog.  But what are you giving your members that they can't get elsewhere?  And how much time and energy do you throw into that effort?  I can't answer that one for you.  What is your difference?  Who's in charge of ensuring that there is a difference?

3.  Focus on your members. In this piece, Chris Brogan speaks of self-promotion.  He talks of one of the best salesmen he knows - his grandfather.  Who never seemed to be selling anything. 

My grandfather was a candy salesman in Augusta, Maine. He was honored several times with being one of the top salespeople for Pine State, his company. Yet, when I went on his sales route with him, I never once saw him sell.

He’d stop and see Flo from Flo’s Variety on Sand Hill, and ask how her granddaughter did on her spelling test. He’d exchange hugs with Mr. Dupuis and tell clean jokes (while I was in earshot), and there’d be a lot of red faces and back slapping. I never once heard him ask for a sale. I saw him connect, commiserate, and learn what was happening in his customers’ lives.

Simply fantastic.  Is it possible for an entire organization to connect with its membership like that?  It would be worth a try, wouldn't it?  Listening to your members - and I really mean listening - is key.  What do they need?  Want?  How can an organization do that?  One awesome teller at a time.  Or perhaps this way, as outlined by John Spence.  I'll have to show John this post.  He'll owe me a beer.  I belong to a credit union (well, more than one) where one specific teller always greets me by name.  I only visit that branch 4 or 5 times a year.  She asks about my children.  She seems pleased to see me. Like I said above, simply fantastic. 

So, here it is. 

1. Keep on improving.
2. Give them something they can't get anyplace else.
3. Focus on your members/customers. 

Simple, right?  Of course not. But that's what makes it fun!

Have a great week guys.  

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