There's a Chili's that my friend Phil loves to dine at. Its close to his work, and he likes their salads. Without fail, whenever we schedule a lunch date, he offers it up as a place to eat.
However, at this particular Chili's, the service and food can only be described, in the words of a former football coach, as "piss-poor." The waitstaff is harried, they give you your check with your food (The only other place this happens to me is fast food restaurants) and the food is substandard, even for a Chili's.
So why does he return, week after week?
Because its convenient. But that doesn't mean that he's happy about it.
Growing up, my father always drilled this mantra into my head: Excellence isn't a goal, its an expectation.
How many people do you know who have a sour taste in their mouths for financial institutions because of the general air of shadiness that occasionally surrounds us? To some, the banking industry is right up there with car salesmen and the guy on the side of the freeway selling oranges. Shady, but at some point in your life you've gotta buy a car/ get a credit card/ buy some oranges off the street*.
Yet they continue to bank with a financial institution for a myriad of reasons, ranging from "I've always banked here" to having no other option, save for hiding their money in a mattress.
Riddle me this, Batman: Is it better to have unhappy customers than to have no customers at all?
I present a challenge to you: On Monday, when you walk into your credit union, walk in with greatness in your mind. Take pride in every task that you complete no matter how mundane or tedious. Your interactions are the face of an industry that is struggling to gain and retain members.
Expect more. Give more. Be more.
DeAndre
*optional