HOUSTON — Sometimes going green doesn’t take as much effort as many credit unions might envision.
Take BP FCU here. It has kicked off a “Go Green” campaign that “repackages” many of its e-banking services it offers and adds a little extra incentive to use them. From April through June, any member who uses or signs up for home banking, electronic bill payment, or e-statements is entered into a monthly drawing for $100.
“For each service they have we give them one entry,” explained Delton Carter, BP FCU president and CEO. “It’s not a lot, but it is an incentive.”
The $76-million credit union has offered e-services for a few years, but Carter feels that members don’t always pay attention. So coming up with a creative theme to draw attention to its e-offerings and tie it to something its sponsor company, British Petroleum, believes in was natural, he said.
“We are just trying to get more members to move to electronic banking. You can put information about your services in statement stuffers and in your newsletter and your members can look right past them–until they have a need.”
The 6,600-member credit union currently has 500 members using e-statements, 420 on electronic bill payment, and 1,860 signed up for home banking. Carter would like those numbers to move higher. The CU uses Fiserv Galaxy’s Netbranch for home banking and e-statements, and ADP iPay for electronic bill payment.
“If you average those numbers, that’s about 20% of our membership using electronic services,” Carter said. “We don’t have a target for the campaign, but it would be nice to see that grow to 40%.”
BP FCU instituted e-services to provide convenience, reduce expenses–the CU saves $1.15 for every e-statement–and return savings to members. But the move isn’t just about business.
BP is environmentally conscious, Carter said, and has many green efforts across the country, including those the credit union sees daily.
“They have solar panels on their parking garage equipped with meters that show how much energy is being stored and how much money is being saved,” Carter said. “Their new building, which is being built across from the credit union, will be certified platinum (green rating). We want our members to know we are supporting BP’s green efforts and walking side-by-side with them.”
Members will see that to a greater extent on Earth Day, when BP Federal Credit Union hands out reusable shopping bags along with pens made out of recycled plastic that carry the credit union’s logo and Go Green message.
(c) 2008
