Key Takeaways:

• Understand how member expectations are evolving in a changing financial landscape
• How to use data to identify key segments and deepen engagement across audiences
• Deliver consistent, personalized experiences across every member channel
• The role of embedded insurance in deepening member relationships
• Align strategies with members’ life stages and long-term financial goals

Download the slide deck here

Produced and sponsored by: 

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Agentic capabilities are beginning to change that dynamic. Consumers now have greater visibility into real-time financial opportunities, and new technologies are reducing the friction associated with moving money, refinancing loans, or rebalancing assets. Instead of expecting customers to take manual steps, institutions will soon be operating in an environment where financial decisions are initiated continuously, based on pre-defined goals, market conditions, and intelligent recommendations.

This doesn’t mean finances will be managed autonomously overnight. But the shift toward proactive optimization signals the start of a new competitive era: one where value is captured in real time and loyalty must be continually earned through responsiveness, transparency, and tangible financial benefit.

Deposit Fluidity And The End Of “Sticky” Funding

Historically, deposits have been stable because moving money is inconvenient. Even when consumers know higher yields are available elsewhere, the hassle of account transfers often outweighs potential gains. This behavioral inertia supports low-cost funding and cushions margin volatility.

AI-powered optimization tools are beginning to test that stability. A consumer could set basic rules, maintain FDIC insurance, minimize fees, and maximize yield on balances above a threshold, and an intelligent system could identify better options or recommend transfers automatically.

For banks and credit unions, this means deposit premiums tied to customer passivity are disappearing. Net interest margins will face renewed pressure, and funding stability will depend on how quickly institutions can reprice, communicate, and integrate with digital tools that customers already use. Agility, both technical and operational, becomes a core risk-management capability.

Loan Retention And The Acceleration Of Refinance Cycles

Similar forces will reshape lending portfolios. Today, borrowers often delay refinancing because tracking rates and reapplying takes effort. Many continue paying above-market interest for months after a better option appears.

AI agents will again redefine this process. Acting under borrower-defined rules, they will continuously evaluate rate trends, closing costs, and tax implications and trigger refinance applications the moment savings surpass a specified threshold.

This automation benefits consumers by capturing value more quickly, but it also compresses lenders’ ability to retain loans through inattention. Retention will depend on how fast a lender can process, price, and approve refinances relative to its competitors’ digital infrastructure. Institutions capable of handling automated refi requests seamlessly will protect relationships and extend customer lifetime value. Those relying on manual workflows will experience accelerated runoff.

The winners will treat automation not as a threat but as a loyalty mechanism, using the same agentic logic to proactively offer optimized products before customers’ own systems move elsewhere.

Integration Becomes The New Competitive Moat

As AI agents gain access to multi-institution data, consumers will favor providers that connect effortlessly to their financial ecosystems. Traditional loyalty drivers — such as proximity, brand familiarity, and branch service — will give way to API accessibility, data quality, and real-time responsiveness.

Institutions with open, secure integration layers will attract deposits and lending volume from competitors constrained by legacy infrastructure. A smaller regional bank with well-designed interfaces could outperform larger incumbents if it enables faster, cleaner agent transactions. Conversely, any friction — including manual approvals, incomplete data feeds, and inconsistent authentication — will divert flows elsewhere.

This shift also levels the competitive field. When financial relationships are governed by automation, size matters less than technical compatibility. In effect, banking becomes a networked software contest where performance is measured in milliseconds and uptime, not square footage or advertising spend.

Strategically, this means investing in modular systems, standardized APIs, and intelligent compliance frameworks that allow for continuous, automated engagement without increasing operational risk.

Strategic Imperatives For The Agent Economy

As agentic AI gains adoption, the line between customer and system will blur. Financial institutions must adapt on several fronts:

1. Architect For Continuous Execution — Build systems that originate, underwrite, and service in near real-time. Lagging approval or funding processes will create instant attrition.
2. Reassess Profit Levers — Margin compression from fluid deposits and automated refinancing will require new fee structures, precision pricing, and deeper cross-product integration.
3. Prioritize Data Interoperability — Institutions must treat connectivity as a product. APIs and data standards become revenue enablers, not back-office considerations.
4. Strengthen Risk And Liquidity Management — Faster asset movement increases volatility. Balance-sheet models must evolve to reflect the speed and scale of algorithmic decisions.
5. Invest In Trust Infrastructure — As agents act on behalf of consumers, secure authorization, transparency, and auditability become essential differentiators.

The overarching message: automation will not erode relationships if credit unions remain the trusted operating layer through which financial decisions flow. Those that enable agents responsibly will earn customer confidence and the data advantages that come with it.

Conclusion: Competing At Software Speed

Agentic AI will redefine the fundamentals of competition in financial services. Money will move faster, customer expectations will rise, and operational excellence will be judged by how well systems perform under autonomous demand.

Institutions prepared for this reality, those that embed intelligence into their workflows, design for integration, and price for precision, will thrive in an environment where value creation happens continuously and invisibly.

The shift is already underway. The question for banks and credit unions is no longer whether automation will transform customer behavior, but whether their infrastructure is ready to compete at software speed.

Blend is a leading digital origination platform for banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders. From mortgages to consumer loans to deposit accounts, Blend helps financial institutions streamline workflows, launch faster, and deliver standout customer experiences. In 2024, Blend’s platform powered $1.2 trillion in loan applications. Learn more at blend.com.

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You can sum up member experience in just one word: Everything. Every single thing a member experiences working with your credit union adds up to member experience. The branch? That’s member experience. Mobile banking? That’s member experience. Your marketing? That’s member experience. The contact center? That’s member experience. You get the idea.

Consumers remember two types of experiences —  the great ones and the awful ones. You can sit back and provide an average, unmemorable member experience, or you can up your game with the kind of experience that builds trust, confidence, and an emotional connection with members.

That’s the kind of experience CreditUnions.com is digging into this week. Here’s what to watch for in the days ahead:

• Two hot takes from Callahan leadership on declining member growth and what credit unions can do about it.
• How Erling Amundson’s three decades outside the industry are reshaping Langley FCU’s approach to member experience.
• Three ways to up your MX game.
• The branching trends shaping a member experience revolution.

Now it’s your turn. What are you doing to build connections with the consumers who choose you? How have you improved MX in the past year? What lessons have you learned from missteps? Let us know, and we might feature your story CreditUnions.com.

Let’s get to work.

The post Member Experience Is Everything appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

The Credit Union Advantage

Credit unions have several unique advantages: trust, community connections, and a relationship-based model that fintechs can’t replicate. However, maintaining that advantage requires meeting members where they are, across digital, mobile, and in-branch channels, with consistent, relevant, and actionable offers.

Credit unions have several unique advantages: trust, community connections, and a relationship-based model that fintechs can’t replicate.

Following early days as a marketing agency, today, ASAPP Financial Technology is an example of a system partner that helps deliver technology solutions that support dozens of credit unions as they compete against direct-to-consumer fintechs. The bank.io OXP® | Omnichannel Experience Platform integrates account and loan origination, CRM, marketing automation, and digital engagement capabilities into a single integrated platform that enables credit unions to personalize every interaction, from the first click on a promotional email to the completion of a multilingual loan application in-branch.

Today’s member journey is nonlinear. A member might see a promotional email about a debt consolidation loan, click through to a personalized landing page, begin an application on a mobile device, and later complete the process with staff support in-branch or over-the-phone. Credit unions that succeed ensure all touchpoints, whether digital or in-person, offer a connected, seamless, and consistent experience.

Personalized engagement doesn’t have to mean manual effort. With the right partner, credit unions can deliver offers directly within online and mobile banking environments, based on real-time insights such as life stage, transaction patterns, or recent inquiries. These activities differentiate credit unions as members feel understood and supported, while the credit union deepens the relationship through timely and relevant outreach.

What Does Differentiation Feel Like

Located in the Greater Toronto Area, administering nearly $2 billion in assets, Tandia Financial Credit Union, a community-centric financial institution, has seen strong improvements in engagement and efficiency since adopting ASAPP Financial Technology’s integrated platform. Its teams leverage configurable email templates to personalize communications and automate follow-ups, while custom promotional pages make it easy to launch targeted campaigns for specific lending and deposit programs. These campaigns guide members from personalized digital offers directly to dedicated landing pages where they can learn more or start and complete an application in minutes.

Tandia has extended this concept to an even more engaged level of member experience by partnering with a regional periodontist firm to offer a specialized in-clinic lending program for complex dental procedures that allows customers to instantly apply for the necessary financing, gain approval, and become a new member without leaving the clinic.

By leveraging real-time origination capabilities, linked to new member onboarding workflows, the possibilities to support both business and retail members are endless. From micro-loans offered via a multilingual user experience at a neighbourhood community center, to iPad-based lending applications for window replacement and driveway resealing contractors, the options of how a credit union can aid its business members, build credit union membership, and deliver greater ROI have never been more attainable.

Relevant Member Experience Is The Differentiator

Many FinTech companies have gained market share by delivering products through digital channels, but credit unions can differentiate themselves by combining community proximity, exceptional member experience, and digital delivery capabilities. Supported by the right partner, credit unions are empowered to stay connected to members not just during major financial moments, but in everyday decisions.

In today’s competitive environment, staying top of mind isn’t about being the biggest or quickest, it’s about being the most relevant and personalized option for members, wherever they choose to connect. In less than four minutes, learn more about how you can futureproof your credit union.

Justin Hayes is the Client-Partner Success Manager for ASAPP Financial Technology Inc. Contact him at justin.hayes@asappbanking.com.

ASAPP Financial Technology provides Customer Experience Software that supports regulated financial institutions as they Originate, Onboard, Understand, and Grow their Member Relationships. The bank.io OXP ®| Omnichannel Experience Platform delivers feature sets that leverage experience gained over the past 25 years while delivering a solution that adapts to the needs of credit unions today.

The post How Credit Unions Can Compete Through Omnichannel Member Experiences appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

And when your technology provider falls short, they feel it.

Whether it’s a system outage, a delayed update, or a support ticket that goes unanswered, poor service can ripple through your credit union. It slows down your team, interrupts operations, and chips away at the trust you’ve worked hard to build with the people you’re here to serve.

That’s why service and support shouldn’t be an afterthought when choosing a technology provider —  they should be a top priority.

Your credit union’s success depends on it.

Prioritize What Keeps Your Credit Union Running Smoothly

When service is strong, your credit union runs smoothly. Your team can focus on helping members — not troubleshooting tech.

You’ll see fewer disruptions, faster resolutions, and more time spent on what matters. That means happier members, stronger relationships, and a reputation for reliability that sets you apart.

But when service is weak, the risks add up fast.

You might face:

• Lost productivity from staff stuck solving tech issues.
• Operational hiccups from outages or lagging systems.
• Member frustration that leads to account closures.
• Compliance concerns from unresolved problems.
• Missed chances to innovate and grow.

And those aren’t just inconveniences — they can quietly drain your resources and momentum.

Recognize The Real Cost Of Poor Support

Credit union CEOs are feeling the pressure.

In fact, 41% named “efficiency” their top strategic priority this year. That’s no surprise. With rising expenses and tighter margins, every minute and dollar counts. And the right technology provider can help you make the most of both.

But not all providers treat service and support the same way.

Some offer it as an add-on. Others outsource it entirely. And when you need help, you’re stuck waiting in a queue, repeating your issue to someone who doesn’t understand your credit union — or your members.

That’s not just frustrating. It’s costly.

Choose A Provider That Acts Like Part Of Your Team

When you choose a provider that treats service and support as a core offering — not a side benefit — you gain more than just uptime.

You gain a true extension of your team.

You’ll have access to:

• Reliable systems that keep your operations humming.
• Responsive support that meets members in their moments of need.
• Strategic guidance that helps you grow with confidence.
• Proactive maintenance that saves you from costly fixes.
• A team that knows your credit union and cares about your success.

This means you can serve members better, faster, and more consistently — because your technology won’t get in the way.

Ask The Questions That Reveal True Commitment

So how do you find a provider that will show up when it counts? Ask the right questions.

In your RFP, dig into the details:

• What’s their average case resolution time?
• How long have their support reps been with the company?
• Do they offer direct communication — or just ticketing systems?
• How many credit unions have stayed with them for 20+ years?
• Do they participate in advisory groups or user communities?

These answers reveal more than just stats. They show whether a provider truly values relationships — and whether they’ll treat your credit union like more than a number.

Serve Members Better By Choosing Support That Delivers

Your members deserve better than “good enough.” And so do you.

Choosing a technology provider with exceptional service and support isn’t just smart — it’s essential. Because when your systems work, your team thrives. And when your team thrives, your members do too.

That’s how you build loyalty. That’s how you grow.

That’s how you make a difference.

Discover solutions and support from Jack Henry that can help your credit union thrive — whether you’re growing, evolving, or navigating change.

The post Why Service And Support Should Guide Your Technology Decisions appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Amundson spent more than 30 years working in user experience, digital strategy, and social business intelligence. His resume includes leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group, Symantec, and Metavante, where he built teams, drove digital innovation, and helped modernize how people interact with financial services.

He brought that outsider experience to Langley FCU when he joined the team in 2019. In 2023, he took the role of vice president of member experience and now leads initiatives across CRM, feedback, AI, and service design.

Today, Amundson helps to reframe the member journey using lessons from tech, healthcare, and banking. His focus is not solely on solving problems but also on building systems that listen, learn, and evolve.

Here, he reflects on what it means to bring an outsider’s eye to a member-owned cooperative — and how he’s helping Langley deliver the kind of experience today’s members expect.

What brought you to Langley FCU?

Erling Amundson: I’ve enjoyed creating things throughout my career and I’ve had the chance to build teams at several organizations. My mission is to make things better.

I’ve been a member of Langley for many years. When an opportunity to join the organization as its first member experience professional emerged, it seemed like a chance to make an impact and create something good.

What did you bring from previous roles into the member experience role at the credit union?

EA: Research. Design. Process. Understanding. Creating.

One role early in my career was as a designer at M&I Data Services/Metavante where I worked to design banking software. This provided a great foundation for the role at Langley.

In your prior roles, how did you foster innovation, risk‐taking, or experimentation? Have you brought any of those methods into Langley?

EA: Part of my job is to encourage the use of design thinking practices. Use of research to gain understanding and then collaborating using tools like journey mapping helps us generate innovative product and service improvements. Being agile and iterating on ideas helps enable innovation. We seek to apply data and insights to make continuous improvements, which enables bigger changes over time while reducing risk.

What were your priorities when you first stepped into the role? Have they shifted in the past five years?

EA: I was tasked with member feedback, CRM, and implementing a design approach. Those are still at the core, but I’ve also added AI, knowledge management, and contact center leadership. Now I lead a fantastic team.

What’s one thing you’ve learned about member expectations that you think the industry still hasn’t fully caught up to?

EA: People have interactions with a wide variety of organizations. Their expectations are shaped as they shop online or use a fast-food drive-thru. Be alert to emerging trends, compare yourself to experience leaders, and be ready to quickly adopt new best practices.

What is a common belief or practice within credit unions that you challenged based on your prior industry experience?

EA: Like many credit unions, we aren’t able to develop all of the technology needed to deliver experiences to our members. However, we work hard to understand what is possible and work with our vendor partners to optimize the technology. As someone who used to design products, I was always eager to see products I created being used. I value vendor partners who appreciate working with us to configure the product effectively and to co-design new capabilities.

Talk about the impact a recent member experience initiative has had.

EA: We work continuously to improve our member experience, and Langley has implemented numerous improvements this year. I can’t list all of them, but I’ll highlight that we have improved our checking account offerings, enabled digital issuance of cards, and implemented some features in our IVR and chatbots that enable them to provide more direct responses to member questions.

Many improvement ideas come from listening to our members. Each of those initiatives started with feedback. We then worked collaboratively toward delivering solutions that help our members. Repeating that process over time enables us to continuously improve experiences.

How has your thinking around member experience changed over time? What advice would you give to others who are working to build a more member-centric culture?

EA: The main advice I would give is to get started. Actively listen to your members. Measure things. And work collaboratively toward making improvements.

There have been a lot of changes to working in member experience over time. I have seen the emergence of multiple specialized MX disciplines. Identify the challenges you face and tap into that expertise.

But you should also recognize the expertise found in people throughout the credit union. Set a vision for the type of experience your members will appreciate and then work together to make that vision a reality.

How do you define success in your role?

EA: I work every day toward making things just a bit better. I can measure that success when we hear from our members that they had a great experience.

I can see it in service metrics such as how quickly we can complete a member request while ensuring that they feel their request has been resolved.

If we’ve been successful at improving experiences, that will show success as more people deepen their relationship with us.

What is coming up in the months ahead that you are excited about?

EA: Earlier this year we implemented a new phone technology that’s integrated with our CRM. It enables a more streamlined experience for our representatives that helps them provide a better voice experience for our members. I’m looking forward to continuing to build and improve these technologies toward delivering significantly improved member experiences via phone.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

The post Insights From The Outside: Erling Amundson appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Members want meaningful engagement. They want to connect with front-line employees. They want to know their financial institutions care. That shift is driving credit unions to double down on bold new strategies, from immersive training programs to bilingual banking and branch redesigns.

Of course, good intentions don’t move the needle. The following stories show how credit unions are turning insights into smarter, smoother member experiences.

Better MX Starts With Better Front-Line Training …

Cathy Graham has spent her entire working life in credit unions but never worked in a credit union branch until a three-week immersion provided “one of the best experiences of my career.”

Graham, who is executive vice president at Desert Financial Credit Union ($9.1B, Phoenix, AZ), spent two weeks in orientation and a week working in the branch. The singular focus of the experience, she says, was whether she as a “new employee” would feel confident in the branch — not necessarily proficient, but comfortable and ready. After all, comfortable, well-equipped employees build confidence with members.

“Spoiler alert: Nope, I didn’t feel ready,” she says. “But there were a couple of simple changes that would’ve made me feel ready.”

Read more in “Stepping Into The Branch And Out Of The Comfort Zone.”

… But MX Is More Than Just The Front Line

A new program from First Financial of Maryland Federal Credit Union ($1.3B, Sparks, MD) aims to bridge the gap between subject matter expertise and credit union leadership by marrying front-line member experience knowledge with leadership training in a way that prevents silos.

To inspire good experiences for the staff and members and to develop a singular mindset around member experience, the credit union has created a cohort of member experience leaders that includes branch managers, contact center supervisors, digital products managers, back-office leaders, and more.

If the program is successful, participants will gain a deeper appreciation of the work their colleagues do and a better understanding how each can leverage the others’ expertise for success, says Arturo Leon, assistant vice president and member experience officer at First Financial of Maryland.

Read more in “Better Member Experience? There’s A Class For That.”

Listening To Members Starts With Language

WECU ($3.1B, Bellingham, WA) is using language training to better engage with Spanish-speaking consumers as the credit union expands its reach. The training offers two tracks — basic and advanced, depending on the employee’s fluency — and pairs staffers with Spanish instructors and tutors from Western Washington University for four 90-minute sessions across four weeks.

“Our primary goal was to support our staff who wanted to acquire the Spanish skills needed to better support our Spanish-speaking members, especially as our Spanish-speaking membership grows,” says Cindy Klein, WECU’s chief human resources officer.

Instruction is available to member-facing retail staff, helping WECU increase its efforts toward inclusion and preparing the credit union for broader demographic changes taking place nationwide.

Read more in “¿Habla Finance? At WECU, Employees Are Learning.”

What’s Driving Member Engagement In 2026? Members stay when they feel seen, cared for, and confident that their credit union is invested in their financial wellbeing. That’s not achieved through service or rates — its earned through emotional connection. By creating a strategy around mission-aligned, data informed actions, credit unions are already shifting member behaviors to improve members’ financial wellbeing and underpin the credit union’s sustainable growth. Learn more today.

The post 3 Ways To Build A Better Member Experience appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

That shift isn’t happening in isolation. Industry research underscores how consumer expectations and behaviors are reshaping the role of physical locations and why branches still matter. The challenge — and opportunity — lies in rethinking what a branch can be. Data shows consumers still seek human touchpoints, even as digital dominates routine tasks.

CONSUMERS OF EVERY AGE LIKE SEEING BRANCHES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
FOR ACCENTURE GLOBAL BANKING CONSUMER STUDY RESPONDENTS
SOURCE: Accenture

Strategic Insights

• Consumers Rely On More Than One Provider: In the 2023 Accenture Global Banking Consumer Study, a full 59% of respondents acquired a financial product from a provider other than their primary bank.
• Multiple Products But Fewer Ties: North American consumers hold an average of seven financial products, but fewer than half — just 3.1 — come from their main institution.
• Digital For Simple, Branches For Complex: Although 63% prefer online banking for simple tasks like checking balances, most still visit branches for complicated issues, and two-thirds value having a branch nearby for stability and accessibility.
• Branch Closures Are Slowing: A 2024 Candascent white paper notes closures accelerated during the pandemic but have since slowed; Bank of America plans to open 165 new financial centers by 2026.
• The Opportunity For Credit Unions: Branches can evolve from transaction points to hubs for advice, education, and relationship building, reinforcing the cooperative’s unique role in its community.

How Are Credit Unions Elevating Branches?

• Deep in the heart of Southeastern Texas, DuGood Federal Credit Union($567.5M, Beaumont, TX) is opening a branch to help tomorrow’s tradespeople graduate on the right financial foot with products and services designed especially for them. Read more.
• When the closure of a mega bank branch on the campus of California State University, Northridge, created a gap in financial services, Premier America Credit Union($3.3B, Chatsworth, CA) stepped in with a new space and tailored solutions to tap into the university’s significant first-generation student population and improve financial inclusion for college students. Read more.
• At Tongass Federal Credit Union($228.6M, Ketchikan, AK), small-scale, tech-enabled branches serve far-flung communities with a cost-effective model that prioritizes accessibility. This approach ensures financial services remain within reach for members who need them the most. Read more.
• University Federal Credit Union’s ($4.2B, Austin, TX) mobile branch is breaking down barriers for underserved communities by providing convenient access to essential banking services, financial education, and trusted support right where people need it. Read more.
• When Redwood Credit Union ($9.5B, Santa Rosa, CA) partnered with a local catering company to operate cafes at two locations, the credit union put quality food at a good price in the hands of the public and employees alike, marrying financial and physical wellness in California’s wine country. Read more.

When Members Feel Cared For, They Stay. Gallup research shows emotionally engaged members stay longer, own more products, and contribute more business on high-value offerings. That kind of engagement doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by design. Callahan and Gallup equip credit unions to spark behavior change that improves member financial wellbeing and drives credit union sustainable growth. The next cohort is forming now. Learn more today.

The post The Member Experience Revolution appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Here are three key insights:

1. Credit As A Financial Lifeline

Overall, 71% of cardholders view credit limits as a major part of their financial planning. Subprime borrowers and those with high credit utilization also place more weight on credit limits, underscoring their importance in financial stability. Notably, installment plans have emerged as an alternative for those denied higher limits. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of cardholders denied an increase in the past year currently use an installment plan, compared to 40% overall.

2. Motivations For Requests

Why do cardholders ask for higher limits? More than half (52%) cited greater financial flexibility, with one-third naming it their most important reason. Another 39% said they hoped to improve their credit scores, showing that many consumers see credit limits as a tool for long-term financial health. By contrast, the 87% who did not request an increase mostly said they simply didn’t need one (76%), while others cited concerns about debt or credit score impacts.

3. The Impact Of Approvals And Denials

Among those who received an increase, 64% reported a more positive view of their issuer, with only 2.9% reporting a worse impression. Denials, however, carry significant risks. More than one-third (35%) of rejected cardholders said their opinion of the issuer worsened, and nearly one-third (31%) reduced card usage afterward. Some (19%) stopped using the card altogether, while 20% applied for new credit elsewhere. Yet, the report notes that clear and transparent communication can soften the blow: many cardholders said they felt better about their issuer after a denial when reasons were well explained.

The findings are clear: while credit limit increases strengthen trust and loyalty, denial — especially opaque ones — risk driving cardholders away. Issuers that prioritize transparency, fast decisions, and digital tools to explain outcomes can turn even rejections into opportunities to build stronger, longer-term relationships.

The post How Credit Limits Impact Cardmember Usage And Loyalty appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

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.

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