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Irene Boyer
Consumer Loan Manager
WECU, Bellingham, Washington
Business Case
Quick Cash Loan Program
To help members get out of predatory payday loan cycles, build positive credit relationships with credit bureaus and the credit union, and to simply get access to fast cash, WECU will implement a Quick Cash Loan Program. Eligibility will be solely based on the member’s relationship with WECU through factors such as length of membership, consistent frequency of deposits, amount of deposits, and being in good standing with the credit union. Loans will range from $100 to $3,000 with repayment terms up to 24 months at a set rate with no origination fees.
This will be accomplished through the established relationship WECU has with a great FinTech company that manages our consumer loan pre-qualifications online. As this will only be available to existing members, applications will be encouraged through our online/mobile banking portal with options to apply in the branch or via phone.
Scott McClellan, Ph.D.
Safety & Physical Security Manager
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Tustin, California
Business Case
Credit Union Safety Program
Incidents of workplace violence are not isolated, and they are increasing. In 2023, there was a 58% increase, 279 total incidents, that would be classified as workplace violence under the definition in California’s Workplace Violence Prevention Act, SB553. As of April 30, 2024, there have been 124 incidents, representing a 33% increase.
As a credit union, our traditional focus, as reflected in our mission statement, has been to mitigate financial risks our Members face: “To provide our Members with World-Class Personal Service and Financial Security.” Providing financial security is especially poignant for a credit union whose membership base is teachers and school employees dedicated to inspiring future generations.
But our dedication to our Membership must go beyond financial security. We cannot deliver on our promise to provide “World-Class Personal Service,” nor can we provide for the safety of the Members under our care, if our team members do not feel safe in the workplace. Safety is service and service is safety.
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union needs to create a Credit Union Safety Program that will encourage a culture of safety through a unified approach to safety planning, response, and recovery, by eliminating inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and aligning roles and responsibilities so we can deliver on our promise of service.
Shanece Robinson
Team Lead, Learning & Development
Sharonview Federal Credit Union, Indianland, South Carolina
Business Case
The Empowered Learning Experience
In this era of relentless disruption, envision a workforce continuously evolving and adapting through seamlessly integrated, personalized learning journeys. You could cultivate a culture of self-directed growth where every employee builds vital skills tailored to their unique roles, aspirations, and your organization's evolving priorities. Imagine channeling their untapped potential—what could your company achieve with a with a workforce so empowered?
The solution is a Learning Experience Platform. A Learning Experience Platform (LXP) is a digital learning platform that provides a holistic educational experience to learners. Unlike our traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS), LXPs are designed to go beyond course-based learning and offer a wide range of resources, tools, and activities to promote continuous and self-directed learning.
These platforms leverage innovative digital technologies by combining content from different sources and recommending personalized learning experiences with the support of artificial intelligence. When an employee completes a course, the LXP would recommend additional lessons associated with the topic and analyze the knowledge gap that exists for the employee. It acts as a hub for educational resources, interactive content, assessments, and collaborative tools, fostering an engaging and tailored learning environment. To address the evolving needs of adult learners in the digital age, the open API allows the LXP to integrate with most systems, pushing relevant and updated information to learners, allowing them to learn where and how they want.
According to a McKinsey report, employees spend 1.8 hours every day—9.3 hours per week, on average—searching and gathering information to do their job effectively. Learning experience platforms enable learners to find information and resources in the flow of their work—it’s one of their key benefits. When you think about the LMS vs LXP, the words making up those acronyms describe the outcome The LXP is all about the learner experience, while the learning management system is about managing courses easier.
Utilizing such a platform will provide employees with the tools and resources to improve the employee experience and create an enhanced member experience. This business case proposes implementing a learning experience platform for Sharonview Federal Credit Union employees, that will specifically empower employees to thrive in their learning experience. It aims to enhance engagement, relevance, and personalization in training delivery to drive operational excellence, superior member service, and employee satisfaction.
Trent Saflin
Mortgage Loan Officer
Northwest Federal Credit Union, Herndon, Virginia
Business Case
Home Equity Loan Insurance Protection Product
The purpose of our 90-100% home equity product is to help members consolidate existing debt and increase cashflows by leveraging up to the full value of their home. This program will be a closed-end loan product capped at $250k and will have a fixed interest rate over a 20 year term at 9.50%.
This product will be partnered with a private vendor that will insure these loans and guarantee 100% coverage of total losses. The private vendor will set underwriting requirements. Members will be required to complete a financial counseling course that will be conditioned prior to settlement with the credit union’s credit counseling partner.
Kelley Taghon
Director of Marketing
Everwise Credit Union, South Bend, Indiana
Business Case
From Welcome to Wow: Elevating Experiences Beyond the First 90 Days
A year after our rebrand, core member growth remains a top priority for Everwise Credit Union. As such, we invest significant budget towards getting new members – through marketing activities, incentives, and soon, referrals – who ultimately never graduate from an inactive or occasionally active status. Today’s consumers embrace diversification, banking with multiple institutions based on who can offer the best products for their current situation. When our onboarding process incorporates personalized content and tailored communications, it enhances initial satisfaction and builds loyalty, and has a higher ability to turn fresh converts into fully engaged members with a potential for growth two to three times higher than their unengaged peers.
The initial journey should focus primarily on guidance and answering questions, but effective onboarding programs continue well beyond day 90… trading generic product and service messaging for value-add content that fosters digital service adoption (direct deposit, enrollment in online banking, app downloads, opt ins to alerts/notifications, bill pay, mobile wallet, card-on-file for subscription services, etc.) in order to become a first-choice financial provider that continually deepens relationships.