The easiest way to become stagnant is to do the same thing over and over. Variety is not only the spice of life, in the case of credit unions, it's a necessity of life! As we try to gain younger members, we have to remember that techniques that used to work well are no longer as effective.
I'd like to pose a question to the high ranking credit union officials (of which, I have no doubt there are many reading this :) - what do you say when someone asks you to take a chance?
When a teller suggests a new type of account because he or she has noticed a trend among your members, how do you respond?
When the marketing department creates a new promo that is designed to shake up your standard look, what do you say?
Being able to accept innovation is one thing that will keep credit unions relevant in the coming years. I've said it before and I'll say it again - if we aren't moving forward, we're standing still.
Very often those who make decisions are far removed from the people who interact with the result of those decisions. Not every suggestion brought to you will be a home run, but by keeping your ears open to those who bring them to you, you'll be able to receive new ideas and learn to differentiate between the good and the bad.
How do you handle it when people give you suggestions and ideas?
DeAndre
DeAndre Upshaw is a former Young & Free Texas Spokester. He's a marketing professional living in Dallas and a Beyonce enthusiast. DeAndre is the host and executive producer of The State of Awesome. Follow him on Twitter and check out his personal website.
