Experience Matters

National pundits have been lukewarm to negative about Indianapolis hosting the Super Bowl, until they arrive and experience how Indy does sporting events. The hospitality, amenities, ease of travel, convenience, weather(50s last two days, golf courses open), almost everything has been better than expected. Comments from those on the ground at the Super Celebration events has been overwhelmingly favorable. It is once again proof that experience matters. How does that translate to Credit Unions? Many consumers view credit unions inferior in many ways (branches, ATMs, technology, etc). Most, after experiencing a credit union would never go back to a large bank. Their experience has made believers out of them.

And just like Indy's hope for another Super Bowl, it can all go away in one fleeting moment of a bad experience. High winds on Sunday almost caused an issue, but the people at the scene made quick decisions and saved the city from experiencing a tragic, reputation battering event by putting safety first.  Most of the people appreciated the quick reactions and concerns for safety.

What are the high winds in your credit union that can create a bad experience?  Is it the inflexibility of waiving a fee, matching a rate, not deploying the latest fraud detection service, etc?  Putting your members "safety and well being" first will always be a winning strategy.

Be vigilant about the experience you create and find ways to engage consumers to experience your credit union. The experience matters most of all.