Transparency Is Key
Comment
You get suckered in by the credit union culture but ultimately, it operates like any bank and only cares about revenue. Leadership lacks any genuineness. The pros: Tuition reimbursement; multiple locations. The cons: Lack of interest in career pathing; lying about ultimate goals.
Former Employee, Indeed.com
Lesson
Although there were some positive employment reviews for this Midwest cooperative, some undesirable common themes arose: lack of transparency and trust and little in the way of employee empowerment, among them. There also were some reports of high turnover. Credit unions aren’t banks, and many credit unions work hard to distinguish the non-profit model, but to keep those staffers who signed on because they were attracted by the cooperative way of doing business, credit unions must walk the talk for consumers and employees alike.
Keep Doing What You’re Doing
Comment
I can’t speak enough good about the leadership, culture, benefits, opportunities for growth and development, teamwork, and community involvement. This is a top-notch place to work, and my coworkers are quickly becoming family. There is incredible support from my supervisor along with those in support (back office) roles and other financial centers. The nature of the work is very satisfying, as the sales culture is needs-based, and providing simple financial solutions for members is very rewarding. Management is very receptive to feedback and ideas for product and process improvement.
Current Employee, Glassdoor.com
Lesson
This staffer notes the appeal of needs-based sales that are at the heart of the ideal credit union member relationship. This comment is edited for space, but the staffer a financial center manager for this southern state cooperative did note that there were systems issues that hindered seamless service delivery. Here was the writer’s advice: For the people part of the business, keep doing what you’re doing because it is on-point. For systems and processes, consider vendors that work (or are programmable) for the experience we want to create for our employees and members rather than being held captive based on system limitations. Well said.
Learn How To Save The Relationship
Comment
Very poor security. No communication. They claim my bank card was compromised four times in the last six months. But those fraudulent charges were MY purchases on iTunes and my weekly Starbucks refill. They would know that if they called me when they saw these charges. But they did not. So, Im trying to make a purchase or use my ATM and it doesnt work. Being a local small credit union, there is no after-hours number or help line to call. If this happens on Saturday afternoon, you are SCREWED until Monday morning. You cant even find out whats going on until then. Avoid this bank at all costs. I had my account for the last 11 years and have been victim to its shenanigans many times, but today that account is officially closed and with another bank.
Hannah H., Yelp.com
Lesson
Probably the most encouraging thing about this West Coast credit unions recent reviews is that a lot of the commenters think its a bank. The complaints range but are mostly around issues that seem resolvable with adequate staffing by trained people. In this case, a simple phone call to this longtime member to check on those flagged charges would have saved this relationship. And, on the technology side, something fixable must be happening to make routine, repeated charges show up as fraudulent. Its a matter of whether the credit union cares enough to do it. This member didnt think they did.
Treat Members Like Real People
Comment
Excellent customer service especially at [this local] branch. This credit union treats its members like real people, not an account number. They empathize with you in situations that are not ideal, they strive to help their members achieve their financial goals, and they provide great products and pricing.
Jared M., Yelp.com
Lesson
This West Coast credit union gets consistently good marks on Yelp, and this member was impressed enough to go online and share why. His remarks encapsulate what a member-owned cooperative ideally accomplishes: personal, empathetic service that focuses on financial goals that those great products and pricing help the member achieve. Kudos!