WEST JORDAN, Utah – A new frontline position created by Mountain America Credit Union here has improved member/employee interactions.
The $4.8 billion CU recently designed a "Member Experience Officer" (MEO) responsible for meeting all member needs, including: teller transactions, opening new accounts, analyzing credit needs and recommending products and services that will help members achieve their financial dreams.
Jason Rogers, SVP branch administration for Mountain America, said the MEO role has helped improve the member experience by eliminating the time that is spent waiting for an employee to assist a member who has specific needs, among other things
And the effectiveness of the new training program was reflected in Mountain America's member survey scores. Branches employing MEOs between April 1 and June 30 showed an average composite member service score 5% higher than branches that without MEOs.
"Mountain America's MEO's are thoroughly trained to assist our members with all of their financial needs, thereby removing the need to refer a member to another employee to assist them," Rogers said. "That time is now better used improving the quality of the relationships between members and employees. It is refreshing to know that the employee who greets the members at the door can help them with all of their financial needs and questions."
The CU's talent development team created a four-week program to train MEOs. Much of the content was already in place, so the course development became a combination of reorganizing existing curriculum and creating new content to supplement and enhance the training experience.
"The new model also allowed us to offer the course more frequently by beginning a new round of training every other week," the credit union explained.
The training program ends with an assessment of AAA skills (short for assess, advise and assist). Consultants from MACU's sales department role play as a member during skills assessment, and trainees are videotaped as they demonstrate the AAA skills they have learned.
Sales consultants then review the videos with the trainees, identifying areas of strength and coaching where improvement is needed. This process also begins the relationship between MEOs and sales consultants, allowing the consultants to be seen as a resource as the MEOs transition to the branch locations.
