With 2020 roaring full speed ahead, I wanted to open up a conversation topic that has been top of mind for our team lately. Like many of you, we have been eagerly working to define and communicate our 2020 vision and have each of our team members help pragmatically fulfill it in their unique ways. If you’re in the same boat or have yet to commit to a vision for the next 12 months formally, check out a few of the things we’re excited about and how you can incorporate them into your plan of action for your members.
Creating the Vision
It may or may not start from the top, but your vision has to be embraced across the board for it to have any chance of being brought to life. Our team has zeroed in on three areas to concentrate on this year: transparent communication (both internal and external), focus on employees and delivering an unparalleled experience to our clients (that’s you!). In this way, we have a few specific things to focus on, and the whole team is working toward the goals together.
Communicating with Transparency
For us, we strive for 100% transparency in all that we do—in what we expect from ourselves and each other, and in what we communicate to our current and potential clients. Transparency demands accountability, and that’s the way we feel most comfortable operating.
Credit unions can also benefit from becoming more transparent in their communication with members. For instance, a fully disclosed overdraft program detailing limits and fees upfront puts the choice in the user’s hands. An empowered member is a loyal member. It also makes your staff more comfortable offering the service when it’s easy to explain and doesn’t have any complicated rules or hidden loopholes.
Focusing on Employees
Our employees are the lifeblood of JMFA, so naturally, we want to continually celebrate their achievements and empower them with skills to help them learn and grow. We recently spotlighted some of our team members in our annual meeting, whom I’d also like to recognize here:
- Our Star Award winners—Donna Sumrall and Bob Layendecker—have gone above and beyond, time and time again.
- Jai Darden, Jennifer Simmons, Trey Martin, Jimmy Nguyen, Ryan Armstrong, Paul McFarland and Jamone Moore were all recently promoted within JMFA.
- Our Sales Award winners—Joe Marsh, Crissandra Fry and Jim Griffis—excelled in promoting our services in 2019.
Looking for some more ways to put the focus on your employees? Because you value your team as much as we value ours, we offer our overdraft program clients continuing education and comprehensive training opportunities through the JMFA Academy, webinars and more. Uplifting the individual elevates the entire organization. Perhaps brushing up on overdraft best practices could energize your staff while also bolstering the results of your service.
Delivering an Unparalleled Client (Member) Experience
Our first two areas of focus feed into our third: providing an exceptional client experience. On top of that, we’re also proactively addressing changes currently taking place in the customer service realm. A study by Walker, Customers 2020: The Future of B-to-B Customer Experience, highlights three fundamental shifts:
- Customers will dictate the experience
- Companies must adapt or fail
- The B-to-B winners must capitalize on the customer revolution
For your credit union, setting high expectations and holding your partners accountable will be vital in determining the level of service you can provide your members. According to the Walker study, 2020 is the year where YOU dictate the experience you want to have with your vendors. THEY must adapt or fail, and it is up to THEM to leverage big data and the right metrics to provide a personalized, holistic experience to YOU, the customer.
For our part, we’re more focused than ever on giving our clients more ways to achieve tangible, measurable results with expert guidance, turn-key solutions and streamlined paths to implementation—all while operating with contingency-based fees. We specialize in helping credit unions and banks improve their bottom lines without risking their time or resources.
How will you make your 2020 vision a reality? Our vision entails helping you answer that very question—all you have to do is reach out.
ABOUT JMFA
JMFA is one of the most trusted names in the industry. Whether it’s recovering lost revenue, uncovering new savings with vendor contract negotiations, creating more value, serving members better or delivering a 100% compliant overdraft service—JMFA can help you deliver measurable results with proven solutions. To learn more, please contact your local representative or call us at (800) 809-2307.
