SAN ANTONIO, Texas -
Specifically, the credit union describes the job function as a "standardization program at the branch level aimed at reducing variations in processes, which ultimately impact efficiency, consistency, quality, service, member loyalty, and profitability." FirstMark serves its 92,000 members with eight branches in a very competitive credit union market.
"The position was created to help standardization in our office," said the person named to fill the new position, Jennifer Alonzo. "It really helped us a lot. I really would suggest this to other credit unions. It helped us maintain consistency. It also helped us to attend to member's needs."
FirstMark established as the goals of the branch operations analyst to coordinate and create standardization across and within branches. The "BOA" also works with key frontline personnel and branch managers in analyzing and assessing whether current processes meet established member-service and quality standards, while complying with applicable regulations.
According to the $665-million FirstMark, responsibilities of the position include: observing and identifying all current processes at each branch; establishing meaningful metrics to monitor branch processes and identifying the nature and causes of variances, errors, policies, and monetary losses; developing new and reviewing current processes to insure regulatory compliance; analyzing business or operating procedures to devise more efficient methods of accomplishing work; performing systematic and continual operational-effectiveness reviews to ensure standardization across all branches; ensuring branches are operating in a consistent and compliant manner with minimal variation in processes or services between each location; documenting and presenting findings and conclusions for new or modifications to existing processes; increasing employee engagement and helping to foster a continuous improvement environment by actively encouraging frontline staff to share ideas or input on best practices, successes and challenges; and facilitating implementation of new processes and procedures through staff meetings, written communication and other appropriate documentation.
The Branch Operations Analyst position appears to be showing positive ROI. Since the job was created, the percentage of accounts with no errors at opening has risen to 96% as of June of this year, up from 62% one year earlier.
Meanwhile, the credit union reports the new BOA has also contributed to internal morale. Using a scale of 1-75 (with 75 being most highly rated) as part of its New Hire Indoctrination Process, new employees are surveyed for their perception of the job FirstMark did in welcoming them.
When the process began, new hires gave the credit union an average rating of 29.02. In the most recent survey, that score rose to 51.71. Additionally, since the introduction of senior teller audits, there have been three perfect audits from the CU's external auditors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.firstmarkcu.org
