KQ Article

Engaged Employees
FedChoice Federal Credit Union, Lanham, Maryland

While undergoing a recent name change, FedChoice decided it was time to consider other changes as well.

“We wanted to get our new name out there with the highest possible impact, and we knew this could be best achieved through positive word of mouth,” said Leslie Pitts, Financial Service Center Administrator at FedChoice. “So we began to consider ways to improve the member experience at our branches. We also saw an opportunity to rally our staff behind a common goal for which we all played a critical role.”

FedChoice began exploring available options for improving not only its physical environments, but also the behavioral aspects of its employees. The credit union ultimately decided to implement the Deluxe Welcome Home® Tool Kit (see sidebar below for details) across its entire organization, with every employee at every level participating in training.

“Our marketing team hit the ground running with the kit’s environmental elements, and members immediately began commenting about how welcoming it feels at our branches,” said Sales and Service Manager Kevin Roland. “But most important, all of us embraced the behavioral elements, and this was the key to our success.”

According to Roland, the Welcome Home kit provides employees with not only a clear understanding of what is expected of them, but of how fulfilling those expectations will positively benefit members and themselves. “For the first time, we were given the chance to think about what FedChoice means from a member’s perspective,” Roland said. “It was a real eye-opening experience.”

The Welcome Home program has been in place at FedChoice for six months now, and the credit union has already seen improvements in its recruiting, employee retention and new member enrollment efforts. “We recently set an all-time record when 50 members joined in one day, and I don’t think this happened by accident,” Pitts said. “And a couple days ago, a member was so impressed by his treatment here that he pulled $122,000 from another institution and opened a certificate of deposit with us.”

Pitts is also hearing signs that word of mouth is spreading. For example, the FedChoice Philadelphia branch has received much acclaim for its new policy of visiting members with physical disabilities, so those members don’t have to come into a branch to speak with FedChoice representatives.

“These success stories aren’t due to any one thing in particular, but many small environmental and behavioral enhancements coming together,” Pitts said. “Our people have really engaged themselves with the Welcome Home Tool Kit philosophy, and we see more proof of its value every day.”

Delighted Customers
Freedom Bank, Buckhannon, West Virginia

Regional competition had become intense for Freedom Bank in recent years. In early 2007, the bank’s senior management decided it was time to explore new avenues of differentiation.

“We were providing acceptable customer service at the time, but it wasn’t enough to make us different,” said Branch Manager Gina Ball. “Since nobody else was providing standout service either, we decided this was the direction to go.”

The bank began researching outside resources for achieving this goal, ultimately selecting the Deluxe Welcome Home Tool Kit. Ball assumed responsibility for implementation and training at all five Freedom Bank branches. The bank closed its offices for an afternoon, split into two groups of 25 and went through training led by Deluxe representatives.

“Our employees were a bit lukewarm at first,” Ball admitted. “But once they realized that the Welcome Home program improved the things they were already doing, they were completely on board.”

The Welcome Home program is still in its first year of implementation, but Ball says signs of its impact are everywhere. “I sit in an office where I can observe all bank functions occurring simultaneously, and I can see what’s happening in the teller lines, the lending department, the lobby and the new accounts area,” she said. “There’s definitely a positive vibe here that wasn’t present before.”

The bank made a series of concrete changes after its Welcome Home training, including adding a refreshments table and dedicated children’s play area to every branch. “We’ve received more positive comments about our kids’ area than anything else, because it allows parents to concentrate on their banking while their children are safely entertained,” Ball said.

New customers also receive a gift box, labeled “You are appreciated,” with a picture frame that includes a clock, a thermometer and the Freedom Bank logo.

More subtle changes include greeting everyone who walks in the door and making an extra effort to establish rapport with customers. Employees began facing their personal photos outward toward the customer as a conversation starter. “These little details make a huge difference,” Ball said. “Many customers say we’re a refreshing change from other banks that only talk business.”

According to Ball, the greatest benefit of the Welcome Home Tool Kit is the profound priority shift it created among all bank employees. “Before we implemented this program, customer needs took a back seat to the work each of us needed to do on a given business day,” she said. “But now, getting to know and serve our customers is everyone’s top priority. I’m thrilled by all the progress we’ve made.”

_{© 2012 Deluxe Enterprise Operations, Inc.}