In round two of The Credit Union Journal's series of credit union website evaluations, IBM Southeast Employees' FCU and New England FCU (NEFCU) cast a critical but friendly eye on each other's websites.
In recently renovating its site, NEFCU looked outside the financial services world for a fresh website strategy by bringing in a website design firm, Montpelier, Vt.-based Level 9.
"We wanted to get the retail point of view," explained Sharon Muellers, remote delivery manager at NEFCU. NEFCU serves six northwest Vermont counties.
Similarly, IBM Southeast EFCU chose to use a website artist's framework. The CU, serving IBM employees in the Boca Raton and Atlanta areas, quickly learned that its introductory Flash demo was a bulky irritation for members.
"The Flash demo got axed really fast," said Kathie Kagno, website manager at IBM Southeast EFCU. "Members were hanging up on it. When you're talking about a banking site, a Flash demo is not good."
Kagno and Alex Yarnall, marketing manager at IBM Southeast EFCU, recently took a look at the NEFCU site, while Muellers evaluated the IBM Southeast EFCU site. Guided by the categories Substance, Graphics/Design, Branding, Ease of Use and Sticky Stuff, they found features to praise and made suggestions along the way.
Substance: Maps, calculators and loan apps
IBM Southeast EFCU:
"They do a good job of describing basic products and services," said Muellers. "These reflect the average member's needs very well."
Maps to branches and calculator accessibility are "nice touches," she said. Muellers suggested that IBM Southeast EFCU provide an alternate way for non-PC Banking members to submit online loan applications, as the application is only available on the home banking pages.
NEFCU:
"The loan application is all on one page," Kagno said. "That's very nice."
Kagno found that the rate tables were too ambitious. "Some of their tables are huge. We think it's important just to provide enough necessary information. Simplify it so that people will call with any questions. We want that contact."
Graphics/Design: Colors and Atmosphere
IBM Southeast EFCU:
"There's a lot of white space, which makes the site very crisp and readable," Muellers said. "The black and white images don't steal attention and add a classic tone."
Colors used on the mortgage rate chart got in Muellers' way. "The colors are a little distracting. They are adding another level of information that I don't think is particularly helpful."
NEFCU:
Yarnell gives NEFCU a thumbs-up here. "All positives on this side. The site is setting a family atmosphere, which adds a warming touch."
Access to Privacy Policy information was important to all the evaluators. Kagno thinks NEFCU's Privacy Policy link is not obvious enough. "The link just blends in unless you hover over it."
Branding: Consistency
IBM Southeast EFCU:
Muellers noted the consistent layout. "The logo appears in one place on every page."
She said that adding slogans or logos as page footers would enhance branding as well as symbolize the end of a page.
NEFCU:
"The first thing that got me on the homepage was the 'Simplify Your Life' slogan," Kagno said, while Yarnell noticed the family artwork.
Yarnell added, "'Simplify Your Life' is their branding, but I don't find it a lot." He suggests that CUs consistently apply slogans and artwork on every page and piece of literature.
Ease of Use: Navigation
IBM Southeast EFCU: "The topics in the primary navigation bar here are exactly what you need to see from your credit union," said Muellers.
The "Breaking News" feature contains six articles on one long page. "It's kind of offered like a piece of print." Muellers said. "Will members move through all six articles?"
NEFCU:
A member can't see all of NEFCU's services from the homepage, because there are no drop-down menus.
However, "they do have layers of navigation," Kagno said. Members must click from main topic pages to sub-topic pages to see what's available. "It's a different way of navigating, but it highlights which services are most important."
Sticky Stuff: Check Reordering and Calculators
IBM Southeast EFCU:
Members can reorder checks right off of homepage. "That's a good interest generator, something someone might like to do for first time," said Muellers.
Muellers added that the check ordering web page should have a link back to the credit union website so that members can return easily.
NEFCU:
Kagno praised the many calculators, including Roth IRA, Budget and Loan calculators, which attract members back to the site.
Yarnell proposed that NEFCU replace the extensive verbiage under 'Simplify Your Life' with palpable promotions.
