BankThink

Efficiency is a powerful concept for any business, and retail financial services is no exception. Efficient credit union branches are better at winning new members, keeping them happy, serving them quickly, and doing it at a lower cost than the competition. And with the growing adoption of teller cash recycling technologies, branches may have their best opportunity in years to make a dramatic impact on efficiency.

The strength and health of the credit union movement relies in large part on the preservation of the dual chartering system. In fact, the entire American financial services system rests on the foundation of dual chartering for depository institutions: both bank and credit union. That is why a banking case out of Michigan decided by the Supreme Court this past April is so troubling.

Credit Union Journal encourages reader feedback to both opinions and editorials that appear on this page, to coverage that appears in this issue, or to issues on which you would just like to get in your two cents on.

A home is invaded, the homeowner murdered and the entire house ransacked. This is an unfortunate tragedy that is all too familiar.

The concept of "best practices" is routinely used when discussing benchmarking operational approaches. Establishing benchmark best practices are reliable methods that over time prove to have desirable outcomes.

Feel it's time for you to hear my side of the story on "the little scuffle" that broke out between Hubert Hoosman and me at the GAC back in February. The "dust up" occurred downstairs around the exhibit area near the Washington Hilton coffee shop. Evidently, several of you who witnessed the brouhaha assumed it was a "racial incident" and, knowing Hubert Hoosman to be a fine gentleman, readily assumed that I had provoked the whole thing! Well, you're right, it was my fault. But, just perhaps, you may have reached the right conclusion for entirely the wrong reasons. Let me explain.

They may be secretive, but at least they're consistent.

Since its inception in 1967, NAFCU has led the charge to ensure a solid voice for federal credit unions and to protect challenges to their interests and those of their members.

A credit union's brand is the place it holds in the minds of its members. In the same way, its internal brand, or culture, resides in the minds of its employees. Culture amounts to the written and unwritten rules that govern how employees behave, think and feel. The external and internal brand must be aligned because it's very difficult to deliver an exceptional member experience, without an exceptional staff experience.

If you're the CEO or manager of a credit union, then you are likely also a published author. Whether you're a best seller or not may seem to be determined by the size of the credit union's membership, but lots of books that get big advance print runs end up heading to the discount table or being boxed up and returned to the publisher for a credit.