It's Not Just Delivery, It's Marketing

MARIETTA, Ga. - Why is branching still king? Because not only are branches a primary way members measure convenience, but they should also be one of your best marketing tools.

Too often credit unions see their branches as a delivery channel for their products and services without recognizing the huge contribution those branches make to the credit union brand and marketing, according to KDA VP-Design Connie Lyle and Senior Consultant Will Klein.

"If you've gone through a revamp of your brand or marketing direction, then you ought to look at your facilities and make sure they are presenting your message and living up to that," Klein advised. "The branch really is your primary marketing tool, providing a forum where you can present yourself to your members."

One of the toughest challenges after building a new branch with a retail experience platform, Lyle noted, is figuring out how to create that same kind of experience in legacy branches.

And the older the branch, the tougher the challenge.

"We have a couple of clients we've built prototypes for when they changed their delivery strategy, and then they want to go back to their old facilities to figure how to do that same kind of sales platform," she offered.

CUJ Asks The Experts

Will Klein and Connie Lyle offered these suggestions:

* Understand that there are some things that you just can't change. "If you go to a remote teller system in a new branch, and this is one thing we are pretty adamant about, it's very difficult to go into an existing facility and replace the standard teller line," Klein related. "They'll accept the change to RTS if it's at a new facility, but not if it's in an old facility."

* Recognize the restrictions of the location. "Sometimes you're stuck because of the site itself," Lyle said.

* Go for the big bang. Reorienting an entryway, for example, is something just about every member who uses that branch is going to notice.

* Don't wait too long. "Go back to a branch five years after you complete it, even though most materials last longer than that," Lyle advised. "All credit unions need to do a better job of getting out and really looking at their branches. I think a lot of times credit unions like to string them along for as long as they possibly can."

FOR MORE RESOURCES

For info on this story:

* www.lamacchiagrouop.com

* www.kdaholdingsinc.com

* www.hbecorp.com

* www.pwcampbell.com