When Kevin Miller stepped in as CEO of Travis Credit Union ($5.4B, Vacaville, CA) in April 2022, the contact center was under pressure. Long wait times, tech hiccups, and member frustration were eroding trust and straining staff capacity. There was no sole culprit, says Miller. Rather, it was a mix of post-pandemic staffing struggles, along with outdated processes.

In less than one year, everything changed.

Rather than pretending there wasn’t a problem or talking around it, Miller’s team moved to tackle the issue head-on. It met with leaders across different teams, not just the contact center, to effectively shift pain points from an “I” to a “we” problem. The executive team and contact center leadership also met weekly to focus on performance issues, challenges, and barriers that were leading to poor performance. And, all leaders were candid about the issue in companywide town halls, emphasizing that this wasn’t about the performance of individual employees.

“Often in these situations, you need to have an honest dialogue about the state of things while not hurting the spirit of the people trying hard to do a great job,” Miller says. “I framed it as, ‘This isn’t about the contact center team, this is a leadership issue.’ And that, ultimately, is my responsibility.”

Ask The Questions

To determine what needed to be fixed and how to move forward most effectively, Miller and his team conducted roughly 45 interviews over 30 days. Those conversations revealed the challenges around the contact center, though not all interviews were with call center employees.

Miller says it’s common when encountering problems like this to simply expect the team in charge to figure out a solution on its own. But that might not be practical or even feasible.

“At some point you can’t just delegate it out,” the CEO says. “You’ve got to be directly involved and enable it to get fixed.”

But Miller doesn’t stop there. He says leaders don’t arrive at solutions just by showing up, they must dig in to learn what’s really broken.

“We sat there and worked through the grind,” he says. “‘We said, ‘We think these two things are problems. How easy are they to fix? Who can own that?’”

Although Miller was aiming to fix the contact center — which at the time was posting average wait times of 45 minutes — he now applies that approach to all business decisions.

“I ask everybody the same three questions: What’s going well, what’s not going well, and if I had a magic wand, what’s one thing you’d change about the organization,” he says.

According to Miller, those three questions yield a plethora of data that points to what’s top of mind.

“That’s your starting point,” he says.

Staff Up, Skill Up, Show Up

After going straight to the internal subject experts and asking for honest feedback, the team compiled and anonymized their answers to share with the board chair and Miller’s direct reports.

“What came about in my first year with the organization was exorbitantly long average wait times,” Miller says. “It wasn’t intentional, but it was placing an extraordinary amount of stress on the organization. Then the question becomes what to do about it?”

With that in mind, Miller turned to a mantra he learned from a leader earlier in his career: Be hard on the problem, not the people.

Travis leaders determined more staffing could help mitigate the issues occurring within the call center. Unfortunately, the obvious answer to this — increase call center staffing — was made more complicated in a post-COVID hiring environment in which labor pools were shrinking, competition for talent was increasing, and employee expectations were evolving.

The credit union doubled its recruitment for contact center roles and brought in employees from other departments to field calls as a stopgap measure.

Along with boosting staffing, Travis also modified its compensation model to encourage retention and pushed leaders to join employees on the floor to gain real-time insight and check in on morale. It also reimagined the learning and onboarding experience, equipping new agents with the tools, context, and confidence to succeed from day one.

“We looked at recruiting, compensation, the learning agenda for contact center agents, and onboarding,” Miller says. “All of that got re-tooled in under a year, driven by the voice of the team member.”

Clear Access And Answers

Call center conversations also revealed challenges around which employees could speak with vendors. The primary user — in this case, the contact center — often has that permission, but an entirely different department might reserve that right based on technology, security, or other factors. And that muddies the water.

“In this case, the person running the contact center was not allowed to talk directly to the contact center vendor,” Miller says. “That lasted about a week or two.”

The interviews also helped illuminate issues around the types of calls employees took, how those were routed, and whether agents were prepared for the call. Addressing the core of the problem here meant re-emphasizing the fundamentals for contact center staff and ensuring team members had the scripts and tools necessary for success.

“We get more than 20,000 calls per month,” Miller says. “Those little things add up. They sound super boring, but they really matter.”

Results And Lessons Learned

These and other changes helped the Travis team reduce wait times by 50% within six months and 90% within a year. Today, wait times are within the industry average.

The big takeaway for credit unions of all sizes, Miller says, is to simply enable teams to do their jobs in the most effective and efficient ways possible.

“If something isn’t going well — not like a little oops, but everyone agrees it’s stuck — your obligation as a leader, regardless of title, is to get involved to help make it better,” the CEO says. “Get a group of people to agree on what the problem is and the three things you think caused it or could fix it. Nothing we did was rocket science.”

It’s easy to look for a silver bullet, Miller concludes, but such a simple solution doesn’t exist. The real work comes from sitting down, understanding the problem, and taking the necessary steps to fix it.

The post 45 Interviews In 30 Days: How Travis Credit Union Fixed Its Contact Center appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Top-Level Takeaways

• Regular, fun-focused engagement helps reduce turnover while recognition and coaching fuel loyalty and performance.
• A lively culture starts with leadership presence and trust.

Credit union contact centers are high-stakes environments. Agents juggle complex calls, relentless volume, and emotionally charged member interactions — typically while tethered to a headset and a call queue. That daily grind makes employee engagement more than a nice-to-have. It’s a survival strategy.

“It’s not a slow-paced job,” says John Flanders, vice president of delivery channels at Robins Financial Credit Union ($4.7B, Warner Robins, GA). “The first call might be someone checking their balance, second call could be someone dealing with fraud or the loss of a loved one. You never know what the next call will bring. That kind of pressure, along with performance metrics, makes the job tough.”

The emotional toll for agents is real. That’s why credit unions are taking steps to bring a little levity to what is otherwise an intense environment.

“If we are happy and having fun, that energy can enhance our member experience, increase employee engagement and productivity, and improve retention,” says Emily Clark, director of contact center operations at UniWyo Federal Credit Union ($764.0M, Laramie, WY).

Quirks And Perks For Serious Business

For engagement to stick, managers must be dutiful in their planning and prioritization. At UniWyo, Clark and her managers each must bring a new fun idea into the contact center every month.

“It’s in our goals,” Clark says. “We have to keep it as a major item.”

Clark leads a 16-person in-office contact center split into two departments: phone and chat. The team consists of one manager per department, two senior contact center officers and eight CCOs on the phone team, two CCOs dedicated to digital channels on the chat team, and one processor who supports both areas.

Clark took over the contact center in May 2024 after nearly 20 years with UniWyo, most recently as a branch manager for nine years. She had no contact center experience but knew she wanted to continue focusing on employee engagement. To date, those efforts have ranged from quirky to nostalgic. For show-and-tell, employees brought in personal items like cameras, vintage kaleidoscopes, or a family airplane propeller and shared stories with colleagues; a floor hopscotch grid complete with candy rewards invited contact center employees as well as other staffers to join in the fun; and on Taste Test Tuesdays, Clark shares snacks ranging from Shark Tank oddities to personal favorites.

“Hits and fails make great taste tests,” she says.

The contact center also has hosted pajama-themed bingo days, cubicle-decorating contests, and a day where staff strolled the office in playful outfits or rolled around in their chairs.

“Some joked about staying at their desk all day,” Clark says. “In the end, everyone joined in.”

Further south, a quarterly Spirit Week is the signature engagement event at Robins Financial.

“It really takes off for us,” Flanders says. “Whether that’s animal prints or dressing like your teammate — it’s a fun way to build camaraderie.”

Perhaps counterintuitively, the credit union’s “Dress to Impress” day was a huge hit.

“We work in a contact center with a corporate dress code, but people came dressed to the nines,” Flanders says. “We even had people in heels taking phone calls.”

Flanders team of 51 agents work under a hybrid model, with everyone coming into the office at some point during the week. But even employees working from home participate in Spirit Week.

“About 90% join in,” Flanders says. “People at home get dressed up just like everyone else. It’s not required — completely voluntary — but it builds energy. Compliments flow, people feel good all dressed up.”

In addition to exciting food and theme days, ready recognition also builds morale. At UniWyo, top performers get shoutouts at monthly branch meetings.

“Sometimes it’s bragging rights, sometimes bragging rights along with a prize,” Clark says.

Robins Financial takes a more formal approach with peer-nominated quarterly awards, including the coveted Diamond Award.

“There’s always a big cheer when someone earns it,” Flanders says.

Building Culture Through Trust, Coaching, And Care

I tell agents, if you need a minute, take it. The next call will be there, but your wellbeing comes first.

Behind the themed days and shared snacks is a serious foundation: support, listening, and career growth. Without those, engagement efforts can fizzle fast.

Clark and Flanders both prioritize decompression. At UniWyo, a “zen cubicle” offers coloring books, puzzles, and brain games to help staff unwind between calls.

“We know how hard being on the phones can be,” Clark says, noting that stress-relieving activities agents can do at their desk provides a welcome reprieve. Offering room to breathe helps, too.

“We talk a lot about if the CCO has a stressful call that they need some time to recoup from, they can take a break,” Clark says. “This helps them regroup and bring their best self to the next call.”

Flanders echoes that sentiment.

“I tell agents, if you need a minute, take it,” the VP says. “The next call will be there, but your wellbeing comes first.”

Both teams emphasize regular leadership face time, whether one-on-one off to the side or through informal floor check-ins.

“We’re present in the office every day, out on the floor talking to everyone,” Flanders says. “The more we do that, the more open employees become with feedback.”

Career growth is also central. At UniWyo, 65% of staff have earned a promotion at some point, and internal movement is encouraged.

“Applying for other positions if something appeals to a CCO is always encouraged,” Clark says.

Robins Financial supports job shadowing, letting agents explore roles in departments like Cards or IT. “Sometimes they realize they love it,” Flanders says. “Other times they decide it’s not for them. Either way, they feel supported.”

Flanders himself has been with Robins since 2019. He spent three years managing the contact center and two years as a branch manager before being promoted to vice president of delivery channels in July 2024.

“Nothing’s worse than not having a clear career path,” he says. “People want to be developed. It’s a hard job, so they need to know what’s next.”

Training also plays a big role. At UniWyo, the training team gamifies education with Family Feud competitions and one-question quizzes in the Teams chat.

“So. Much. Fun!” Clark says. “Training doesn’t have to be boring.”

The payoff from these employee engagement tactics is tangible and trackable. At UniWyo, contact center turnover dropped from 82% in 2023 to zero so far in 2025. Robins’ numbers are also below the industry norm.

“Low to no turnover is great news for a contact center,” Clark says. “I’d like to think the vibe is good up here, and we have the tools to do our job well.”

For both contact center executives, culture is a daily practice — not a one-off campaign.

“I can’t make folks love their job, can’t make them love being on the phones, can’t make them love serving others,” Clark says. “What I can do is try kooky, crazy, silly ways to keep the vibe cool and fun, smile and laugh, and respect the work that is done here.”

The post Bingo, Bragging Rights, And Balance Checks Build Contact Center Engagement appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

At Posh, we are in the business of empowering credit unions with the power of AI with the specific intent to allow humans to be more human.

AI and human agents are an advantageous pairing that has proven benefits from coexistence without directly imposing competition on the other. Let’s examine the advantages of this nuanced “partnership,” how this balance has already been found within the financial industry, and why it is important to maintain both.

AI And The Human Touch

For financial institution call centers, AI leads to a better user experience between members and their customers. By implementing AI, members benefit from 24/7 service, immediate resolutions to common inquiries, and, perhaps most important, an increase in quality of service and satisfaction. Call center agents and financial institutions can also expect more meaningful opportunities to spend with clients instead of having their time primarily occupied by repetitive inquiries.

The reality is, a majority of call center agent inquiries are occupied with repetitive, simple tasks like paying bills, checking balances, making a payment, or updating information. All of these take time away from making meaningful connections with customers and can be easily handled by AI.

These types of conversations leave little opportunity for call center agents to better engage with their members, which consequently means financial institutions miss out on any lead generation opportunities and the chance to build relationships with members.

Conversational AI can handle the bulk of these common, busywork inquiries, which then frees up time for agents to dedicate to more meaningful interactions. Relationships and personal interactions are integral to credit unions who pride themselves on their relationships. Credit unions are locally operated and deeply embedded within their communities. AI will create a path for credit unions to deepen their ties to the community and foster stronger relationships. Conversational AI cannot replicate these types of interactions, but by working together, these moments can become revitalized and made better.

What Credit Unions Say

While the narrative often pits AI and human workers against one another, the facts often depict a far more harmonious relationship.

Call center agents are experiencing:

• More dedicated time with members.
• Opportunities for lead generation and meaningful conversions.
• Increased satisfaction over their job.
• Agent retention.

Members are provided with:

• Shorter wait times.
• Improved satisfaction.
• 24/7 assistance.

“Agents are happy chatbots are taking on interactions that require no skills,” says Steve Goodwine, assistant vice president of the contact center at Hudson Valley Credit Union ($6.9B, Poughkeepsie, NY). “Our agents now enjoy more engaging conversations with members that go deeper. They’re using their skills and are more engaged, so our agents are more satisfied with the work they’re doing. Happy staff make happy members.”

Likewise, rather than seeing AI as a competitor, Mike Procenko, a member experience center manager at the contact center, see it as an additional resource.

“[Conversational AI] is very helpful,” Procenko says. “We kind of tongue in cheek say Ava is our newest employee for the contact center. I absolutely, 100% would recommend anybody who is thinking about adding AI to definitely do it.”

The Importance Of Balance

The benefits of AI can seem never-ending, but there are myriad things human agents can do that AI cannot replicate or replace. AI works best as an aid to humans and enhances these human interactions.

As conversational AI grows, companies are scrambling to outfit AI for any and all things. They are trying to incorporate AI into every task for the sake of being innovative or forward-thinking.

As part of our commitment to small banks, credit unions, and communities, there is no one that understands the value of the human touch more than we do. We don’t believe in incorporating AI for the sake of it — our use cases for conversational AI come directly from the needs of those within the industry. Conversational AI is a purpose-built platform, not an add-on. Only someone who truly understands this can provide the balance needed to strengthen your credit union in the end.

At Posh, we believe in democratizing access to banking and empowering financial institutions with the benefits of conversational AI. Our suite of AI online, voice, and digital services are designed to provide solutions for issues that keep banks and credit unions from delivering the full benefits of banking to communities. We know better conversations lead to better banking, thus making it our mission at Posh to facilitate change and make implementing conversational AI a feasible reality.

The post AI And The Human Touch: Maximizing Benefits For Credit Unions appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Today’s macro-economic conditions, while challenging, present a unique opportunity for credit unions to capitalize on member engagement by leaning into their key differentiators — delivering personalized, community-centric relationship banking and meaningful support in times that members need it most.

Events in the past two-and-a-half years have significantly impacted global markets, breeding financial uncertainty and trepidation. Most recently witnessed in the 2008 recession, when economic upheaval caused a myriad of financial stressors for individuals, businesses, and organizations alike.

Once again, the economy is top of mind. Inflation, rising interest rates, a cooling housing market, and the possibilities of recession are all significantly influencing the behavior of credit unions — and the members they serve.

Data from Engageware’s annual survey of banking professionals and consumers examined sentiments around a possible recession and the crucial role member engagement plays.

Recession Worries Impact Consumers And FIs

At the time of the survey (August 2022), nearly all banking professional respondents (91%) and a large majority of consumers (84%) said they think the U.S. economy is either currently in a recession or will be in one soon. Financial institutions were more likely to believe the country is already in recession (57% versus 46% for consumers).

Almost 90% in both groups were also at least a little worried about a recession’s impact. That said, relatively few were “very worried” about the impact to their institution’s customer relationships (13% of financial institutions) or their own personal financial situation (36% of consumers).

It is no surprise that an economic downturn would have an effect on banking behavior. In the event of a recession, 75% of consumers said they plan to scale back their planned financial activities.

Consumers also said that, in challenging economic times, they expect their primary financial institution to provide additional support beyond the obvious products and services offered. In addition to expecting lower fees, more competitive rates, and late payment forgiveness, consumers indicated they would also expect recession strategy planning (34%) and one-to-one financial planning (16%).

According to J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Retail Banking Study, customers value and are more loyal to financial institutions that deliver a meaningful customer experience and make the effort to support them in challenging economic times. In that report, 63% of customers said if their financial institution delivered this kind of support, then they “definitely will not switch banks,” and 78% said they “definitely will reuse their bank.” Financial institutions, according to JD Power, must use engaging methods to provide the support customers need most — especially when the economy is sour.

Rivel, a data-driven management consulting firm, predicts that while a recession might slow overall banking activity in terms of new deposits and loan demand, consumers will still need key accounts and seek the flexibility that financial institution can offer them — most likely from their current primary FI.

Member Engagement In An Unpredictable Economy

Human expertise is a critical component to delivering meaningful member engagement. But getting the support in place exactly when it is needed can be challenging in an increasingly digital and self-serve environment.

In some channels, support means enabling members to serve themselves more efficiently. In other channels, support means the ability to readily access human assistance. Strong member engagement provides ample access and support across all channels, allowing members to choose what works for them at any given moment.

Three ways credit unions can set member engagement into motion:

1. Enable Self-Service: Answer the high-volume, common interactions that can easily be handled digitally (ex. technology help; basic transactions).
2. Hybrid: Self-Service and/or Human Assistance: Provide easy access to digital or human assistance for high-value interactions (ex. loan applications).
3. Enable Consistent Human Assistance: Ensure interactions with your staff are consistent, accurate, and efficient.

A Growing Focus On Member Engagement

Today’s consumers have more ways than ever to interact with their financial institutions — which means leveraging technology can be a double-edged sword for credit unions that must now ensure they are providing seamless consistent experiences across all channels.

The brass ring for credit unions will be to enable, support, and sustain a consistent pattern of satisfactory member experiences that build loyalty no matter where members interact.

Doing so requires offering ample opportunities for members to engage with the products and services offered. This can look like proactive recommendations, personalized offerings, the ability to seek guidance or help from a financial professional, or providing related information.

It can be the ability to easily schedule an appointment during a digital interaction or making your financial experts instantly available through video, chat, phone, or ITM.

Credit unions must contend with today’s rapidly evolving economic conditions as they look to stand out, compete, and grow.  For credit unions to be successful in these challenging times, they must further their efforts to deliver truly holistic member engagement. Engagement breeds loyalty, driving member retention, higher satisfaction, and stronger growth.

Engageware is the industry-leading provider of customer engagement solutions with more than one billion appointments scheduled via its award-winning appointment scheduling software. Trusted by hundreds of financial institutions, Engageware’s appointment scheduling customers outpaced the industry by 222% in Q3 loan growth (7.41% versus 2.31% industry average).

The post Delivering What Members Need Most During Economic Uncertainty appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

High-Tech = High-Touch

Start small, get it out there, and add as you go.

That’s just one piece of advice from Christopher Brown, chief operative office at MassMutual FCU. The credit union’s chatbot, eMMA, has been answering members questions for nearly a year. Members love the self-serve convenience. The credit union loves the drop in live phone calls.

MassMutual Federal Credit Union ($355.2M, Springfield, MA), Telcoe Federal Credit Union ($450.8M, Little Rock, AR), Together Credit Union ($2.3B, St. Louis, MO), United Federal Credit Union ($3.9B, St. Joseph, MI), and USALLIANCE Financial Federal Credit Union ($2.2B, Rye, NY) are five credit unions that use high-tech to keep high-touch member service alive. But chatbots aren’t the only things learning; these credit unions are figuring out how to infuse technology with a touch of personality, too.

What best practices and lessons learned from chatbot avatars do these cooperatives have to offer? Read it all in “High-Tech Meets High-Touch: How Avatars Help 5 Credit Unions Advance Member Service.”

Robots To The Rescue

Robots are helping Patelco Credit Union ($9.0B, Dublin, CA) achieve new levels of efficiency in its busy mortgage processing department.

That’s the term Vince Salinas and his team use to describe the autonomous programs that are now handling tasks like collecting data, filling out forms, and assigning third-party services such as appraisals.

“We describe them as robots within the system,” says the vice president of home loans for the East Bay credit union.

Patelco launched mortgage-processing bots in July and is now saving approximately 128 hours of labor every month. Subject-matter experts serve as bot champions, and the combination of robots and people serve to increase loan production without increasing, or decreasing, staff.

Want to learn more about how Patelco is revving up robotic processes to improve its mortgage document flow without replacing people? Read “Robots To The Rescue” today.

Artificial Intelligence? Real Service.

A 30-something contact center staffer hired at Royal Credit Union ($4.0B, Eau Claire, WI) in the thick of the pandemic has been growing in her job as she quickly becomes a key part of the Wisconsin credit union’s prowess at responding to member needs quickly and efficiently.

She’s a University of Minnesota graduate with two kids, a husband, a cat, a golden doodle, and a yen for online shopping for designer bags.

Her name is Val, but she’s not real.

Val is Royal’s chatbot avatar that’s been handling more than 7,000 queries a month through the cooperative’s website as well as through two entities of the age of artificial intelligence: Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant.

Learn more about how Val improves the member experience at the Wisconsin cooperative in “Artificial Intelligence Provides Real Service At Royal Credit Union.”

 This article originally appeared on CreditUnions.com on March 21, 2022.

The post It’s Time To Join The Robot Revolution appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

What hasn’t changed is the need for impeccable levels of member service and the importance of perpetuating a credit union’s culture. With that in mind, leaders from four credit unions offer insights into training and supporting remote workers to ensure successful member service.

From out-of-state recruitment to hiring bonuses and flexible scheduling, what was once seen as the bottom of the totem pole is now viewed as a prime position for many credit unions. How Has The Pandemic Changed Call Center Management?

Empower Federal Credit Union ($2.9B, Syracuse, NY)

What is your advice for how to train and support remote workers to ensure the best possible member service?

Erin Fuller, senior vice president/chief administrative officer: To encourage employee longevity, we require new staff to come in and do the training on-site. Then, all staff is required to be on-site for five days a month so we can maintain culture, relations, and training. What days are up to the manager, so there’s a lot of flexibility built in. In HR, we do that on Mondays.

NorthCountry Federal Credit Union ($913.1M, Burlington, VT)

What is your advice for how to train and support remote workers to ensure the best possible member service?

Abbey Welch, call center manager: Communication is so important to go over questions and concerns. Developing relationships and rapport is critical. Being intentional about when, who, and how you communicate is a necessity.

Training is also essential to success. You must have the ability to support your team on many levels, including with job aids, hotlines, and the ability to share screens within the department. This has all proven to be helpful to our member resource team. We train by reviewing actual calls and identifying coaching opportunities, which also allows us to recognize great performance as part of the feedback loop.

State Employees’ Credit Union ($53.1B, Raleigh, NC)

What is your advice for how to train and support remote workers to ensure the best possible member service?

Jared Benesh, executive vice president of member experience transformation: We’ve found managing a remote workforce necessitates more communication and visibility. We’ve worked hard to engage our staff and encourage our leadership team to be creative in terms of connecting with their teams.

We operate on 24/7 availability. As we look to enhance our coverage and scheduling, the flexibility of working from home is an advantage. The best advice is the simplest in that you must create a team environment and keep all team members equally engaged. Ask for feedback and encourage the team at all levels to take ownership in improving member service.

Unitus Community Credit Union ($1.7B, Portland, OR)

What is your advice for how to train and support remote workers to ensure the best possible member service?

Corlinda Wooden, SVP/chief retail officer: We feel strongly that a blend of classroom, one-on-one, and hands-on training is the key to success. We can offer these on-site or virtually. We have a robust training model that includes an experienced specialist assigned to the new employee as a dedicated mentor and coach through the first 90 days.
There are several learning opportunities during this period. The new employee is invited to participate in a call review and calibration meeting, observe a forecasting meeting, and participate in a member feedback review discussion.

Furthermore, at Unitus, we have a strong coaching and development culture consistent across the organization’s member-facing teams that includes formal one on ones, observations, a robust quality program, and team meetings each month.

Additionally, we learned early on that we needed to add non-coaching check-ins via video and chat strings to ensure high morale and connection among the team. Working remotely can feel isolating at times, and we have received feedback from our employees that this extra effort means a lot to them.

Langley Federal Credit Union ($4.5B, Newport News, VA)

What is your best advice for training and supporting remote workers to best ensure successful member service?

Nicole Baker, vice president of sales and service: Constant engagement through conversations and coaching goes a long way in keeping your teammates informed and happy in their remote positions. You must find ways to help them to keep growing and learning in their positions or you will lose their interest.

The post Best Practices For Contact Center Management appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

That’s down from slightly more than 60% at the height of the pandemic shutdowns, and home work days appear to be stabilizing at that number, according to WFH Research’s latest monthly survey. It’s a high number considering it was closer to 5% pre-COVID, but that’s the reality credit union managers are grappling with daily.

One area that lends itself to the home office is the contact center. Here, managers from five credit unions share their insight into strategies that work for remote work.

Empower Federal Credit Union

Lori Verzillo and Erin Fuller are the chief retail officer and chief administrative officer, respectively, at Empower Federal Credit Union ($2.9B, Syracuse, NY). Empower serves slightly more than 240,600 members with a network of 28 branches and a broad field of membership that includes the area in and around Syracuse and Buffalo as well as numerous other communities and multiple SEGs.

How many call center staff members do you have? Where are they located? Do you require workers to be on-site, can they work remotely, or do you allow a hybrid approach?

Lori Verzillo: We have 46 people in our call center, which is at our headquarters in Syracuse and operates in a hybrid work-from-home model. Our employees come into the office five days a month and the remainder they work from home. They can come in more if that is their preference.

Before the pandemic, like most, we were fully on-site. We quickly transitioned all employees to fully remote. Now, staff can work from home at any time. For example, if an employee has an unexpected need to be home or they are not feeling well, instead of calling in, they can work at home and not leave our call center short-staffed. Employees are able to be more flexible and so are we as an employer.

How has management and staff perception of contact center work changed since the pandemic? What has been the result of that change?

LV: During the pandemic, our branch staff, including branch management, worked in the call center. This experience gave branch employees the appreciation for the work that our call center team performs each day, especially during high-volume times.

Our branch teams still have access to the call center system. They can see when wait times might be rising and can jump in to help, or if the branch is slow, they can take calls and have contact with members that might have product or service needs they can help with.

We have a motto that we live by: We are ONE TEAM, with ONE GOAL to help our members and each other. The pandemic has strengthened our culture while strengthening the skill set of our employees.

Geographically, do you require employees to live in your FOM or near your offices? Why or why not?

LV: As a general practice, we schedule staff to be at the contact center five days each month, so they need to live in the communities we serve. It’s important to us to have people in our community serving our members.

Additionally, Empower has always focused on having a culture that highly values our employees. Having time together at work builds relationships that lead to better teamwork and higher employee satisfaction.

How has the availability of remote call center positions affected your ability to hire? Does it make the jobs noticeably more attractive?

Erin Fuller: Yes, absolutely. The expectation to work from home or have a hybrid schedule has changed since COVID and enabling that has definitely made us more competitive in the recruitment process, especially at a time when companies are offering signing bonuses and increasing minimum pay. We’ve occasionally offered $1,000 bonuses ourselves when we were struggling to fill spots in collections and the contact center.

NorthCountry Federal Credit Union

Abbey Welch leads the contact center at NorthCountry Federal Credit Union ($913.1M, Burlington, VT). Welch is a veteran of 22 years with the cooperative and for the past two years has managed the member resource team (MRT). She’s joined by assistant managers Meaghan Lopes and Daniel Julien, who also contributed to the answers below.

How many call center staff members do you have? Where are they located? Do you require workers to be on-site, can they work remotely, or do you allow a hybrid approach?

Abbey Welch: We have 23 staff members, inclusive of our MRT management. We all work remotely.

How has management and staff perception of contact center work changed since the pandemic? What has been the result of that change?

AW: The MRT has become a destination for career advancement versus an interim move to the next career step.

There has been a much greater focus and dependence on remote channels, and MRT is the primary touchpoint to facilitate, enable, and troubleshoot those channels. MRT serves as subject matter experts for the remote channels.

Before we went remote, although there was collaboration, staff members in the MRT acted more as individual performers. Now there is a team-based approach as certain members are experts in various services.

Also, moving to a paperless environment required close and consistent teamwork. The three leaders of the MRT have had to be creative in showing recognition to team members, which instills constancy and retention.

Geographically, do you require employees to live in your FOM or near your offices? Why or why not?

AW: No. We’re looking for people who align with our values first and foremost. Cultural alignment is more important than geographic proximity. Seventeen of our team of 23 live in Vermont; six are located outside the state.

How has the availability of remote call center positions affected your ability to hire? Does it make the jobs noticeably more attractive?

AW: We can now recruit nationally though these have come from employee referrals and the ability to work remotely significantly increases the attractiveness of the positions.

State Employees’ Credit Union

Jared Benesh is the executive vice president of member experience transformation at State Employees’ Credit Union ($53.1B, Raleigh, NC). The nation’s largest state-chartered credit union has a contact center operation that features approximately 50 locations scattered primarily among the 2.6-million-member cooperative’s 273 branches.

How many call center staff members do you have? Where are they located? Do you require workers to be on-site, can they work remotely, or do you allow a hybrid approach?

Jared Benesh: We have approximately 750 agents divided among our member services, lending, and financial advisory services contact centers. Nearly all of these team members can work from home. We rotate employees in-house and provide hoteling arrangements and will have 20-25% of our staff on-site on any given day.

Before 2020, we had no remote staff. In response to the pandemic, we deployed work-from-home equipment and reached a capacity where all agents had this option. We have learned to manage and operate remotely while reducing the number of employees we need on-site. We are currently looking for ways to enhance the efficiency of our remote workforce through technology.

How has management and staff perception of contact center work changed since the pandemic? What has been the result of that change?

JB: We have a large branch network, and the pandemic served to bring the contact center and branches closer as we flexed staff from the branch to meet demand on the telephone. In the past two years, we’ve seen continued support for the contact center from the branch network. More members have now adopted the contact center as their primary service channel.

Geographically, do you require employees to live in your FOM or near your offices? Why or why not?

JB: We are allowing our team members to seek approval to live outside of our field of membership. This has served to reduce attrition and bring an additional layer of flexibility to our staff. Historically, our brick-and-mortar contact center locations were in high-cost-of-living areas, and the ability to move outside of that footprint gives more value to staff.

How has the availability of remote call center positions affected your ability to hire? Does it make the jobs noticeably more attractive?

JB: The remote capability has made our jobs more attractive to both external applicants and internal applicants. These positions are sought after by staff that has traditionally worked in the office and helps reduce attrition outside of the organization where these opportunities are prevalent.

Unitus Community Credit Union

Unitus Community Credit Union ($1.7B, Portland, OR) has 12 branches and serves more than 100,000 members with a field of membership that includes the entire state of Washington and 15 counties in Oregon. Corlinda Wooden has been with the cooperative for 10 years and has served as the chief retail officer for the past three years.

How many call center staff members do you have? Where are they located? Do you require workers to be on-site, can they work remotely, or do you allow a hybrid approach?

Corlinda Wooden: We have a staff of 28 that includes a manager, two assistant managers, and two lead supervisors. About half of the team works remotely from home and the other half is split between two states at our headquarters in Oregon and our Vancouver branch location in Washington, which can offer tax benefits for employees depending on where they live.

In the near future, we’ll transition from having one traditional headquarter office to having multiple distributed administration offices, making it more convenient for our employees to commute based on where they live.

The Unitus call center team poses for a group photo during an end-of-the-year celebration in December 2021.

The end-of-year celebration included a big thank you for the Unitus call center team.

How has management and staff perception of contact center work changed since the pandemic? What has been the result of that change?

CW: As digital channel utilization has increased for our members’ day-to-day needs, the times when members reach out to connect with the call center are more meaningful than ever. Our team leads with empathy and education and strives to convey a sense of partnership, even through the most difficult calls.

We also launched a virtual branch that gives our members more accessibility through live chat, video banking, and virtual appointments from the comfort of their own homes. Our strategy is to meet our members where they are and how they want with a variety of accessibility points phone, in-person, email, chat, computer audio, or video.

In the same vein as meeting our members where they are, we are meeting our employees’ desire to have flexibility in their scheduling from their homes or from the office and it has yielded benefits in forecasting call coverage and improved service overall.

Geographically, do you require employees to live in your FOM or near your offices? Why or why not?

CW: Our philosophy is to hire employees who live in the two states where we serve our members. We determined we do not have the resources and infrastructure to support becoming a multi-state employer, which brings in additional compliance and legal risk. As it relates to our field of membership, employees can live anywhere in the states of Washington and Oregon. Currently, our FOM includes all of Washington and 15 counties in Oregon.

How has the availability of remote call center positions affected your ability to hire? Does it make the jobs noticeably more attractive?

CW: Offering remote work opportunities has supported recruiting new talent to our credit union. New employees share how excited they are for the opportunity to work from home and mention how much easier it is for them to maintain a work-life balance and shine brightly in their work.

Additionally, less commuting supports reducing carbon emissions and is another appealing factor in recruitment as part of our efforts to support climate sustainability.

A Different Perspective

Langley Federal Credit Union

Nicole Baker is vice president of sales and service at Langley Federal Credit Union ($4.5B, Newport News, VA), overseeing the contact center, digital services support, and 22 branches. The cooperative serves 322,548 members who joined through approximately 1,000 employers and associations in the Hampton Roads area.

How many call center staff members do you have? Where are they located? Do you require workers to be on-site, can they work remotely, or do you allow a hybrid approach?

Nicole Baker: We have 105 contact center teammates in our Newport News corporate office. During the early days of COVID-19, nearly every teammate was sent home to work 100% remotely. Our teams returned full-time to the office 14 months later, which allowed us to assess our experiences and determine next steps. Except for a couple of medical accommodations, we have less than 10 representatives working a hybrid remote workweek, which allows for two days at home.

Danielle Robinson, contact center team leader, works with a member from her desk at Langley FCU's corporate headquarters.

Stephanie Highsmith, a Langley FCU digital services representative, has a lake view from her desk at work.

How has management and staff perception of contact center work changed since the pandemic? What has been the result of that change?

NB: We learned how important our contact center is to member service. Members have leaned heavily on this team throughout the past 30 months. We’ve implemented numerous technology solutions, and this team has adapted well.

Getting the team back in the office was essential for our success. We’ve created a culture that is dependent upon collaboration, loyalty, and trust. This is a key element to our success as a company, and we feel remote work would take away from that.

Geographically, do you require employees to live in your FOM or near your offices? Why or why not?

NB: At this time, the team will remain mostly on-site until we feel their competencies allow for a hybrid remote work schedule. All staff were remote in the beginning and stayed that way for 12 months. Bringing them back was essential to improve collaboration, mentoring, and communication, which was diminished when everyone was remote. We were struggling to recruit, train, and retain new employees and have committed strongly to this in the past six months.

How has the availability of remote call center positions affected your ability to hire? Does it make the jobs noticeably more attractive?

NB: We have not had issues finding teammates that have concerns with being on-site. We’ve had several interviews where the candidate shared how remote work affected them, and they are changing jobs to get back to an on-site environment.

We see the benefit but ultimately decided that being on-site is the best way to preserve our culture. We have also found many of our teammates do not want to be off-site. Those that do want to work the hybrid schedule will be allowed to do so when they are fully proficient in their role.

These interviews have been edited and condensed.

The post How The Pandemic Changed Call Center Management appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

They also have to integrate all they offer into a seamless experience that provides it all right here and right now, regardless of geography, time, and device.

Here, Alfredo Rizzo, vice president/CX Architects for Avtex, explains more about those service imperatives and how the right technology can deliver them from credit unions across the size spectrum.

Rizzo has been in his current role for the past four years. He says his team is responsible for consulting on and designing solutions that improve member experience in areas that include contact centers, conversational AI, knowledge management, analytics, and everything involving how members interact with credit unions.

Rizzo has been with Avtex for 18 years and his company has been working with credit unions for two decades, with a client list that includes approximately 215 cooperatives ranging from $100 million to $25 billion in assets.

Member service has shifted from a company-defined experience to a member-defined experience. We’re being compared to the best experience they’ve had and not just with financial institutions.

What are the three major technology trends that credit unions need to keep up with the experiential demands of their members?

Alfredo Rizzo: If I had to pick three trends, the first would be the move to the cloud for all components of member experience. Innovation is happening in the cloud; it’s no longer happening on premise-based legacy systems, and it’s important to have access to innovation so we can be at the forefront of member experience trends.

The second is conversational AI. When done well, that is an intuitive way for members to self-serve through a bot that can carry on a banking conversation. Bots can be both digital offered on web and mobile and voice. Optimally, the same functionality is available on both, with that added benefit of the right graphical/visual elements on digital bots.

Lastly, biometrics and related voice fraud prevention technologies are changing the way that we authenticate members, removing the knowledge-based authentication of the past 30 years and moving to a new experience that is both effortless and more secure. Biometrics has become ubiquitous in mobile banking platforms; it now needs to make its way into other member experience venues like the contact center, online banking, and the branch.

What role does effective use of the cloud play in improving member service? What challenges does it help credit unions address?

AR: The cloud is absolutely critical in delivering a modern member experience. If we focus on contact centers, for example, Gartner stopped covering premise contact center technology around three years ago it only covers CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) now.

In a true cloud platform, innovation happens continuously, with new features delivered weekly, without the need for maintaining hardware and software, telco circuits, performing costly upgrades, or having to provide ongoing support. Additionally, cloud-native technologies provide the easiest access for the credit unions’ employees, many of whom have shifted to a work-from-home or hybrid model.

How can innovative use of data analytics and automation improve a credit union’s service delivery? What challenges does it help credit unions address?

AR: Data analytics is essential in understanding member journeys, including gaps in those journeys. For example, in a conversational AI solution, data analytics can provide insights into member self-service top-use cases as well as point out gaps in what members are looking for but not finding in the bot and perhaps transferring into the contact centerwhich allows the bot to be improved.

Meanwhile, automation specifically robotic desktop automation (RDA) and robotic process automation (RPA) accelerates processes while removing and reducing errors, leading to both a better employee and member experience.

For example, member service reps often have to deal with multiple non-connected applications for a single member service request (like loan origination). In that scenario, RDA offers a way to take a 90-second process of copying/pasting information and clicking buttons in different apps to a 20-second process that is error-free.

How do digital experiences that leverage consumer-centric apps contribute to member experience success? What challenges does it help credit unions address?

AR: Members want credit unions to be where they are. As an example, I was just in Brazil and interacted with several of my father’s financial institutions over WhatsApp (which is by far the most used consumer-centric app in Brazil).

This is an encrypted, secure channel that can be routed into the contact center just like web chats, text messages, and calls. It’s easily searchable, so a consumer can find any business that has a presence on WhatsApp. As millennials and Gen Z members take on a larger share of membership, it will be important to offer both great self-service (think bots) and live assistance on members’ channels of choice be that Facebook Messenger, Apple Business Chat, or whatever comes next.

Member service has shifted from a company-defined experience to a member-defined experience. We’re being compared to the best experience they’ve had and not just with financial institutions.

Please describe the SmartApps solution from Avtex and how this innovative technology can address the opportunities to improve member service.

AR: SmartApps were built to solve credit union member experience needs and problems. SmartApps are a suite of applications that range from self-service to fraud prevention and analytics to MSR productivity.

Avtex also has leveraged cloud AI technologies to create Smart Bot, a voice and digital bot that leverages our existing core connectors to provide both knowledge and transactional support to members on multiple channels. And because Smart Bot is tightly integrated with the cloud contact center platform, we believe it will help credit unions deflect the ever-increasing volume of member interactions at a significantly lower cost than conversational AI solutions that are currently in the market.

Please describe the Avtex contact center solutions and how they help credit unions turn challenges into opportunities.

AR: Avtex is the largest global partner for Genesys, who in turn is the highest-ranked contact center solution in the Gartner CCaaS Magic Quadrant. We believe the Genesys platform offers the most modern and complete canvas on which we can build a modern omnichannel member experience. Avtex then brings two decades of experience building credit union contact centers ranging from 10 to more than 1,000 MSRs, using a multitude of core systems, online banking systems, telco providers, and other key technology components.

We are now helping our credit union clients make the move to the cloud, building on the MX successes we’ve achieved together and delivering new MX solutions that members want, such as conversational AI and biometrics.

What is the competitive differentiator between Avtex solutions and your competitors?

AR: Our mission at Avtex is to fuel exceptional member/customer experiences. At our core, we are an experience company, and we use the best technology platforms and experts to build that optimal experience for our clients and their members.

We provide a full suite of services that includes MX consulting, maturity assessments and planning, digital transformation consulting, digital experience solutions, modern omnichannel contact centers, and SmartApps built specifically to optimize credit unions’ self-service and contact centers.

It’s that intersection of our passion for fueling exceptional experiences and our focus on credit unions that differentiates us from our competitors.

How can credit unions find out more about Avtex?

AR: Visit our website to learn more about who we are and what we do. There, you can also contact Avtex to chat about your needs and learn about our member experience strategies and solutions: www.avtex.com/contact. Or call 1-800-323-3639.

The post MX Strategies For 2022 And Beyond appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Winning The Last 6 Feet

Brands that sell in big box stores and grocery stores use a principle called “winning the last six feet.” In a sea of similar options, how can you make your product stand out to win the last six feet while consumers are in the aisle shopping? That same principle applies for credit union lending how can your credit union” win the last six feet” while your members and potential members are researching different lending options at your credit union?

Your marketing and lending teams develop strategies to drive more interest, but are you missing potential loan applications by not offering the right calls to action?

Two consumer insights you need to know:

• According to Engageware,73% of credit union website searches related to products happen on nights and weekends,typically when your staff are not available 40% on Sunday alone.
• According to Deloitte Research, 65% of consumers prefer in-branch assistance for mortgages or refinances.

When we look at credit unions websites and mobile banking applications,the vast majority are still offering two calls to action, directing visitors to either:

• Call or visit a branch typically open during the day when your audience is not researching loan options.
• Apply online even though 65% of your audience prefers in-branch assistance.

This is where offeringomnichannel scheduling provides the perfect bridge from intent to action.

Here are three ways your credit union can use appointment schedulingto drive more loan applications.

1. Optimize The Digital Experience

Most consumers in 2022 start their research digitally. To convert digital traffic into applications, credit unions need to surround prospective members with the right calls to action in the right places. This includes the main navigation and the contact page but is especially pertinent to all content associated with loans where site visitors have greater intent. Loan product pages, rate tables, drop-down menus or sub-navigation, and even search results are all necessities.

Summit Credit Uniondoes an excellent job of surrounding its website visitors with two main calls to action ApplyorMeet with Us.With the Meet with Usoption, visitors can choose their preference In Person, By Video, or By Phone and schedule a day and time to meet with a loan specialist. This allows visitors to take the next step apply or schedule ensuring they capture users during their highest point of intentwhen they are in the “consideration” phase.

2.Convert Contact Center Calls, Chats, And Emails

Even in the digital age, there is a segment of consumers that prefer to call, chat, or send an email to get more information. When we talk to credit union leaders, the typical process today:The member service representative puts the consumer on hold,finds the right person (who is typically not available at that moment),and is forced take down their information for a call back. Withappointment software,the member service representative can easily schedule an appointment at a time and place convenient for the member.This ensures they not only create a positive member experience but also capture users during their highest intent moment.

3.Automate Reminders And Confirmations

With an appointment scheduling solution, reminders and confirmations are automatically sent to both the consumer and your loan officer.These can be set up to go out upon scheduling as well as other times leading up to the appointment and by the channel of their choice email or text.This reduces no-show rates dramatically and removes the manual task from the loan officer’s busy day.

Additionally, the reminders and confirmations can be used to ensure the consumers come prepared with the right information. Prospective members are 60% more likely to convert into an application if they come prepared with the necessary information required to apply such as valid ID, recent pay stub, tax returns,etc.

Win The Last Six Feet With Intelligent Appointment Scheduling

Even in the digital age, the need for lending expertise and consultation is still in high demand.As credit unions, you pride yourself on your member experience, andintelligent appointmentscheduling can help you achieve your 2022 loan growth goals by winning the last six feet.

Interested in learning more? Watch this short, on-demand webinar Drive 42% more loan applications:3 Ways to Convert Your Existing Traffic.view now.

Engageware is the industry-leading provider of customer engagement solutions with more than 1 billion appointments scheduled via its award-winning appointment scheduling software. Trusted by hundreds of financial institutions, Engageware’s appointment scheduling customers outpaced the industry by 222% in Q3 loan growth(7.41% vs 2.31% industry average).

The post Lending By Appointment: 3 Ways To Use Credit Union Appointment Scheduling To Drive More Loans appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

• Before COVID-19, only 30 million Americans paid by contactless card or digital wallet. Now more than 160 million do.

• Three credit unions MSUFCU, Navy FCU, and American 1 Credit Union have introduced contactless cards in recent years to great success.

Credit and debit cards have long been a popular payment method in the United States. In 2016, card purchases in the United States represented 56% of all transactions. Yet cultural, operational, and behavioral factors all have contributed to slow adoption of contactless payments by American consumers. In 2016, contactless payments accounted for only 0.4% of all payments. By contrast, in China, where card purchases represented 6% of all transactions, 16% were contactless.

The technology for contactless cards hit the market in the mid-1990s, with Seoul, South Korea, employing it for ticketing and transit means. Major cities across the globe adopted it for their own transportation systems throughout the late 90s and early aughts. In the mid-2000s, VISA, American Express, and MasterCard transitioned the technology into the payments space with contactless debit and credit cards.

Big tech companies entered the mobile payment and digital wallet space in the mid-2010s. Apple launched Apple Pay and rolled out the iPhone 6, the first phone that included contactless payment integration, in the fall of 2014. Samsung and Android followed suit with Samsung Pay in August 2015 and Google Pay (then-Android Pay) in September 2015.

Despite the availability of contactless options, the dearth of contactless-friendly terminals in the United States presented an early friction point to adoption. The EMV liability shift in 2015, however, prompted merchants to deploy NFC-capable terminals.In turn, terminal availability opened the floodgates for issuers of all sizes to start offering contactless options.

Michigan State University Federal Credit Union($5.7B, East Lansing, MI) made its VISA signature cashback card contactless in July 2019. In February ‘, Navy Federal Credit Union($135.7B, Vienna, VA) launched a contactless card as well.

The availability and accessibility of contactless cards has slowly improved their reach, but the market started to drastically change in early ‘. According to MasterCard, between February and March ‘, contactless transactions grew twice as fast as traditional credit card transactions at groceries and drug stores; by April, VISA data shows 60% of its in-person transactions were contactless.

CU QUICK FACTS

MSUFCU
Data as of 12.30.20

HQ: East Lansing, MI
ASSETS: $5.7B
MEMBERS: 302,576
BRANCHES: 20
12-MO SHARE GROWTH: 23.5%
12-MO LOAN GROWTH: 9.4%
ROA: 0.95%

A Contactless Inflection Point

Contactless cards offer numerous benefits for issuers and consumers alike, says Diedre Davis, chief marketing officer at MSUFCU. For issuers, they increase card usage and help the institution attain top-of-wallet status. For consumers, they offer a bettermember experience.

Typically, a contactless payment takes one or two seconds to complete, compared with up to 45 for cards with chips,she says.Its faster, easier, and more secure.

In early March ‘, however, another possible benefit emerged. Thats when the World Health Organization warned cash might be capable of carrying and spreading the novel coronavirus. Contactless transactionsand cards in particular became a more sanitary alternative payment method for many.

A contactless payment takes one or two seconds to complete, compared with up to 45 for cards with chips. Its faster, easier, and more secure.

When the pandemic struck, we saw the desire for contactless cards change as sanitation drove further adoption says Tynika Wilson, senior vice president of debit card and fund services at Navy.Our strategy was not driven by the pandemic,but the timing was convenient.

Nationwide, the adoption of contactless payments has been stark.

In April ‘, MasterCard reported a 40% jump in contactless payments. And according to a November ‘ poll from MasterCard,51% of Americans were using contactless payments, citing safety and speed as two main drivers for doing so.

American 1 Credit Union($515.4M, Jackson, MI) was converting its card processor to enable contactless payments when the pandemic struck. Despite the challenges inherent withconverting a major processor during a pandemic, no less the additional capability was worth the work.

CU QUICK FACTS

American 1 Credit Union
Data as of 12.31.20

HQ: Jackson, MI
ASSETS: $515.4M
MEMBERS: 59,080
BRANCHES: 17
12-MO SHARE GROWTH: 25.7%
12-MO LOAN GROWTH: 4.6%
ROA: 0.62%

The pandemic solidified our decision that this was the best move for our members, says Nicole Patrick, the credit unions vice president of payments.

American 1 reviewed card usage trends and other economic events to determine the best time to complete a mass reissue of its cards. Then, during a single day in February 2021, it shut off all existing credit cards and activated the new contactless cardsfor every card-carrying member.

Before the switch, American 1 made thousands of phone calls to verify addresses and educate members about the coming change. It also used newsletters, in-branch signage, email, social media, and postcard messaging to spread the word and minimize frictionon the day of the conversion. And in its messaging, it referred to the change as an upgrade” rather than a &conversion.

This supported the idea the new cards were enhancements and the pain in transitioning to a new card was truly for the member”s benefit,Patrick says.

Elsewhere in Michigan, MSUFCU is reissuing contactless credit and debit cards as they expire with the exception of its signature card, which is already contactless and replacing current cards ahead of expiration upon request.

They just need to let us know they”d like one, Davis says.

The Future Of Contactless

Contactless payments among Americans increased because of the pandemic, but data suggests the country has reached an inflection point.

According to an April ‘ report, ;North America Online Payment Methods ‘ & COVID-19’s Impact nearly one-third of U.S. consumers started using contactless payments during the pandemic, and the majority plan to continue using the feature once the pandemic has ended. The report projects that contactless card payments are projected to increase more than eight times between ‘and 2024.

At Navy, more than one-third of debit users and nearly half of credit card users are now contactless enabled, Wilson says. In fact, contactless transactions are outperforming mobile transactions thus far in 2021 at the nation”s largest credit union.

Contactless card volumes at MSUFCU are also up. Every time a member opts to tap instead of swipe, Davis says they see how fast and easy contactless can be, which encourages more transactions in the future. At American 1, the credit union is still earlyin its contactless journey, but feedback has been extremely positive.

Our members have made it clear they like the convenience, safety, and security our contactless cards provide,Patrick says.

Navy FCU
Data as of 12.31.20

HQ: Vienna, VA
ASSETS: $135.7B
strong>MEMBERS:9,927,166
BRANCHES: 345
12-MO SHARE GROWTH: 29.3%
12-MO LOAN GROWTH: 8.3%
ROA:0.65%

The expectations for future contactless volumes are high, and there”s room for credit unions to grow the share of card users who take to the tap. Part of that growth will come from education, says Navy”s Wilson for merchants just asmuch as members.

According to Wilson, encouraging merchants to accept contactless payments is the first step. She notes that some large merchants still do not accept contactless payments. However, contactless cards are more secure than magstripe cousins they don”ttransmit the account holder”s name, card number, or three-digit code so there”s no reason every merchant shouldn”t accept contactless payments.

The availability of the COVID-19 vaccine across the United States coupled with loosened restrictions will likely lead to a rebound in consumer spending. Such a return to normalcy will play a large role in the increase of contactless card adoption andtransaction volumes, the Navy SVP says.

As in-store shopping begins to recover, you”ll see contactless cards continue to grow, she says.

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