Tag: credit union

Effective collection strategies are critical for the financial health of credit unions. Unlike traditional banks, credit unions often emphasize member relationships and community values, making the collection process more tactful. Crafting a strategy that balances the need for financial stability with member-centric values is essential.  Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create an effective credit union collection strategy. 1. Understand your members The foundation of an effective credit union collection strategy is understanding your members. Credit unions often serve specific communities or groups, and members may face unique financial challenges. By analyzing member demographics, financial behavior, and common reasons for delinquency, you can tailor your approach to be more vigilant and effective. Segment members: Group members based on factors like loan type, payment history, and financial behavior. This allows for targeted communications and outreach strategies. Member communication preferences: Determine how your members prefer to be contacted—whether by phone, email, or in person. This can increase engagement and responsiveness. 2. Prioritize compliance Compliance with regulations is non-negotiable in the collections process. Ensure that your strategy adheres to all relevant laws and guidelines. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): Ensure that your team is fully trained on the FDCPA and that your practices comply with its requirements. State and local regulations: Be aware of any state or local regulations that may impact your collections process. This could include restrictions on contact methods or times. Internal audits: Regularly conduct internal audits to ensure compliance and identify any areas of risk. 3. Leverage technology for efficiency Technology can streamline the collection process, making it more efficient and a better member experience. Automated reminders: Use automated systems to send reminders before and after payment due dates. This reduces the likelihood of missed payments due to forgetfulness. Data analytics: Use data analytics to identify trends in member behavior, establish a collections prioritization strategy, and predict potential delinquencies. This allows your team to be proactive rather than reactive. Digital communication channels: Implement digital communication options, such as text messages or chatbots to make it easier for members to interact with the credit union. 4. Establish clear communication protocols Early and frequent communication is key to preventing delinquency and managing it when it occurs. Create clear protocols for member communication that prioritize empathy and treatment plans over demands. Early intervention: Reach out to members as soon as they miss a payment. Early intervention can prevent minor issues from escalating. Consistent communication: Ensure that your communication is consistent across all channels. Whether a member receives a call, an email, or a letter, the message should be clear and aligned with the credit union’s values. Human understanding: Train your collections team to use a compassionate tone. Members are more likely to respond positively when they feel understood and respected. 5. Offer flexible payment solutions Flexibility is crucial when working with members who are struggling financially. Offering a range of payment solutions can help members stay on track and reduce the likelihood of default. Customized treatment plans: Offer customizable payment plans that fit the member’s financial situation. This could include lower payments over a longer term or temporary payment deferrals. Loan modifications: In some cases, modifying the terms of the loan—such as extending the repayment period or lowering the interest rate—may be necessary to help the member succeed. Debt consolidation options: If a member has multiple loans, consider offering debt consolidation to simplify their payments and reduce their overall financial burden. 6. Train your collection team Your collection team is the frontline of your strategy. Providing them with the right training and tools is essential for success. Ongoing training: Regularly update your team on the latest regulations, best practices, and communication techniques. This keeps them informed and prepared to handle various situations. Better decision making: Empower your team to make decisions that align with the credit union’s values. This could include offering payment extensions or waiving late fees in certain situations. Regular support: Working in collections can be complex. Provide resources and support to help your team manage stress and maintain a positive attitude. 7. Monitor and adjust your strategy A successful credit union collection strategy is dynamic. Regularly monitor its performance and adjust as needed. Key performance indicators (KPIs): Track KPIs such as delinquency rates, recovery rates, roll-rates and member satisfaction to gauge the effectiveness of your strategy. Member feedback: Survey members who have gone through the collections process. Their insights can help you identify areas for improvement. Continuous improvement: Use data and feedback to continuously refine your strategy. What worked last year may not be as effective today, so staying adaptable is key. Creating an effective credit union collections strategy requires a balance of empathy, effective communication, and compliance. By understanding your members, communicating clearly, offering flexible solutions, leveraging technology, and continuously improving your approach, you can develop a strategy that not only reduces delinquency but also strengthens member relationships. In today’s fiercely competitive landscape, where efficiency and efficacy stand paramount, working with the right partner equipped with innovative credit union solutions can dramatically transform your outcomes. Choosing us for your debt collection needs signifies an investment in premier analytics, advanced debt recovery tools, and unmatched support.  Learn more Watch credit union collection chat This article includes content created by an AI language model and is intended to provide general information.

Consumers are shifting to used vehicles over new, with a higher percentage of consumers financing used. The move comes as the industry continues to grapple with inventory shortages, driving vehicle values higher.

According to Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market Report: Q1 2022, credit unions had their highest total share in five years

  In today’s evolving and competitive market, the stakes are high to deliver both quantity and quality. That is, to deliver growth goals while increasing customer satisfaction. OneAZ Credit Union is the second largest credit union in Arizona, serving over 157,000 members across 21 branches. Wanting to fund more loans faster and offer a better member experience through their existing loan origination system (LOS), OneAZ looked to improve their decisioning system and long-standing underwriting criteria. They partnered with Experian to create an automated underwriting strategy to meet their aggressive approval rate and loss rate goals. By implementing an integrated decisioning system, OneAZ had flexible access to data credit attributes and scores, resulting in increased automation through their existing LOS – meaning they didn’t have to completely overhaul their decisioning systems. Additionally, they leveraged software that enabled champion/challenger strategies and the flexibility to manage their decision criteria. Within one month of implementation, OneAZ saw a 26% increase in loan funding rates and a 25% decrease in manual reviews. They can now pivot quickly to respond to continuously evolving conditions. “The speed at which we can return a decision and our better understanding of future performance has really propelled us in being able to better serve our members,” said John Schooner, VP Credit Risk Management at OneAZ. Read our case study for more insight on how automation and PowerCurve Originations Essentials can move the needle for your organization, including: Streamlined strategy development and execution to minimize costly customizations and coding Comprehensive data assets across multiple sources to ensure ID verification and a holistic view of your prospect Proactive monitoring and real-time visibility to challenge and rapidly adjust strategies as needed Download the full case study

The digital innovation that has come out from the pandemic across businesses of all kinds – and the resulting improvement to customer experience – has been welcomed by consumers and the financial services industry.   However, it created a challenge for those institutions, namely credit unions, who thrived on and were famous for an excellent in-person customer experience. But rather than viewing it as a threat, the savviest credit unions began to look at some of the cloud-based tools this pandemic-induced digital wave brought with it.   To continue to deliver personalized, secure and fast decisions to their members, credit unions are now adopting cloud-based decisioning and fraud prevention platforms. These systems, like Experian PowerCurve, have helped credit unions and financial institutions alike overcome a dependency on manual processes and other potential resource constraints. In doing so, they can to deliver an excellent online customer experience that can handle high volumes of members from a variety of backgrounds, which reinforces the brand promises of trust and personalized customer service.    But it’s not just members who are benefiting from an improved lending experience. Credit unions may want to follow OneAZ Credit Union, who has seen a 26% increase in booking rates after implementing PowerCurve, in addition to a 25% reduction in manual reviews.  With 21 branches and a full-service digital team, OneAZ prides itself on a world-class member experience while helping members exceed their financial goals. They partnered with Experian® to implement an advanced decisioning system that would increase efficiency and further improve the member experience.  “The speed at which we can return a decision and our better understanding of future performance has really propelled us in being able to better serve our members,” said John Schooner, VP Credit Risk Management for OneAZ.  To read the full case study, click here. And to find more information on how Experian can improve your lending experience through automated decisioning tools,  you can read more about PowerCurve here.   

If it looks like a bank and acts like a bank, there’s a good chance the company behind that financial services transaction may not actually be a bank – but a fintech. Born out of Silicon Valley, New York and tech hubs in between, fintechs have been categorically unfettered from regulation and driven by a focus on customer acquisition and revenue growth. Today, the fintech market represents hundreds of billions of dollars globally and has been disrupting financial services with the goal of delightful customer experiences and democratizing access to credit and banking. Their success has led many fintechs to update their strategy and growth targets and set their sites outside of core banking to other sectors including payments, alternative lending, insurance, capital markets, personal wealth management, alternative lending and others. Depending on the strategy, many are seeking a bank charter, or a partnership with a chartered financial institution to accomplish their new growth goals. Meanwhile, all this disruption has caught the attention of banks and credit unions who are keen to work with these marketplace lenders to grow deposits and increase fee-revenue streams. Historically, obtaining a bank charter was an onerous process, which led many fintechs to actively seek out partnerships with financial institutions in order to leverage their chartered status without the regulatory hurdles of becoming a bank. In fact, fintech and FI partnerships have boomed in the last few years, growing more than five times over the past decade. Gone are the days of the zero-sum game that benefits solely the bank or the fintech. Today, there are more than 30 partner banks representing hundreds of fintech relationships and financial services. These partnerships vary in size and scope from household names like Goldman Sachs, which powers the Apple credit card, to Hatch Bank, which has $68 million in assets and started with a single fintech partner, HM Bradley.[1] But which scenario is right for your fintech? Much of that depends on which markets and lines of business round out your growth strategy and revenue goals. Regardless of what framework you determine is right for your fintech, you need to work with partners who have access to the freshest data and models and a firm handle on the regulatory and compliance landscape. Experian can help you navigate the fintech regulatory environment and think through if partnering with a bank or seeking your own fintech charter is the best match for your growth plan. In the meantime, check out this new eBook for more information on the bank charter process and benefits, fintech-FI partnerships and the implications of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) new fintech charter. Read now Explore Fintech solutions   [1] https://a16z.com/2020/06/11/the-partner-bank-boom/

For credit unions, having the right income and employment verification tools in place helps to create an application process that is easy and low friction for both new and existing members. Digital first is member first The digital evolution created an expectation for online experiences that are simple, fast, and convenient. Attracting and building trusted, loyal relationships and paving the way for new revenue-generating opportunities now hinges on a lender's ability to provide experiences that meet those expectations. At the same time, market volatility and economic uncertainty are driving catalysts behind the need for credit unions to gain a more holistic view of a member’s financial stability. To gain a competitive advantage in today’s lending environment, credit unions need income and employment verification solutions that balance two often polarizing business drivers: member experience and risk management. While verified income and employment data is key to understanding stability, it’s equally important to streamline the verification process and make it as frictionless as possible for borrowers. With these things in mind, here are three considerations to help credit unions ensure their income and employment verification process creates a favorable member experience. The more payroll records, the better Eliminate friction for members by tapping into a network of millions of unique employer payroll records. Gaining instant access into a database of this scale helps enable decisions in real-time, eliminates the cost and complexity of many existing verification processes, and allows members to skip cumbersome steps like producing paystubs. Create a process with high configuration and flexibility Verification is not a one-size-fits-all process. In some cases, it might be advantageous to tailor a verification process. Make sure your program is flexible, scalable and highly configurable to meet your evolving business needs. It should also have seamless integration options to plug and play into your current operations with ease. The details are in the data When it comes to income and employment verification, make sure that you are leveraging the most comprehensive source of consumer information. It’s important that your program is powered by quality data from a wealth of datasets that extend beyond traditional commercial businesses to ensure you are getting the most comprehensive view. Additionally, look to leverage a network of exclusive employer payroll records. With both assets, make sure you understand how frequently the data is refreshed to be certain your decisioning process is using the freshest and highest-quality data possible. Implementing the right solution By including a real-time income and employment verification solution in your credit union’s application process, you can improve the member experience, minimize cost and risk, and make better and faster decisions. To learn more about Experian’s income and employment verification solutions, or for a complimentary demo, feel free to contact an expert today. Learn more Contact us

In today’s digital-first environment, fraud threats are growing in sophistication and scope. It’s critical for credit unions to not only understand the specific threats presented by life online, but to also be prepared with a solid fraud detection and prevention plan. Below, we’ve outlined a few fraud trends that credit unions should be aware of and prepared to address. 2021 Trends to Watch: Digitization and the Movement to Life Online Trend #1: Digital Acceleration As we look ahead to the rest of 2021 and beyond, we expect to see adoption of digital strategies nearing the top of credit unions’ list of priorities. Members’ expectations for their digital experience have permanently shifted, and many credit unions now have members using online channels who traditionally wouldn’t have. This has led to a change in the types of fraud we see as online activities increased in volume. Trend #2: First-Party Fraud is On the Rise First party fraud is on the rise – 43% of financial executives say that mule activity is up 10% or more compared to attack rates prior to the pandemic, according to Trace Fooshee, Senior Analyst for Aite Group, and we expect to see this number grow. The ability for credit unions to identify and segregate the “good guys” from “bad guys” is getting more difficult to discern and this detail is more important than ever as credit unions work to create frictionless digital experiences by using digital tools and strategies. Trend #3: Continual Uptick in Synthetic Identity Fraud We expect synthetic identity fraud (SID) to continue to rise in 2021 as cybercriminals become more sophisticated in the digital space and as members continue with their new digital habits. Additionally, fraudsters can use SIDs to bring significant damage and loss to credit unions through fraudulent checks, debit cards, person-to-person and automated clearing house (ACH) transactions. More and more, fraudsters are seen opening accounts and remaining very patient – using an account to build and nurture a trusted relationship with the credit union and then remain dormant for two years before ensuing in any sort of abuse. Once the fraudster feels confident that they can bypass authentication processes or avoid a new product vetting, oftentimes, they will take that opportunity to get easy access to all solutions credit unions have available and will abuse them all at once. There are no signs of fraud slowing, so credit unions will need to stay vigilant in their fraud protection and prevention plans. We’ve outlined a few tips for credit unions to help protect member data while reducing risk. The Fight Against Fraud: Four Key Tips Tip #1: Manage Each Fraud Type Appropriately Preventing and detecting fraud requires a multi-level solution. This can involve new methods for authenticating current and prospective members, as well as incorporating synthetic identity services and identity proofing throughout the member lifecycle. For example, credit unions should consider taking extra verification steps during the account opening process as a preventative measure to minimize SID infiltration and associated fraud losses. As credit unions continue down the path of digitization, it’s also important to add in digital signals and behavior-based verification, such as information about the device a consumer is logging in from to heighten defenses against bad actors. Tip #2: Be Resourceful In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have asked, “How should credit unions approach fraud prevention tactics when in-person contact is limited or unavailable?” In some cases, you might need to be willing to say no to requests or get creative and find other options. Sometimes, it takes leveraging current resources and using what’s readily available to allow for a binary decision tree. For example, if you’re suspicious of a dormant account that you think could be synthetic, call them, and ask yourself these questions: Did they answer? Was the phone still active? Send the account holder an email – did you get a reply? Is this a new member? Is this a new channel for the member? Could they have logged on to do this instead of calling the call center? Tip #3: Empower Members Through Education Members like to know that their credit unions are taking the necessary steps and applying the right measures to keep their data secure. While members might not want every detail, they do want to know that the security measures are there. Require the use of strong passwords, step-up authentication, and empower members with alerts, notifications, and card controls. Additionally, protect members by providing resources like trainings, webinars, and best practices articles, where they can learn about current cyber trends and how to protect their data. Tip #4: Trust Data Many credit unions rely on an employee’s decision to decide when to take action and what action to take. The challenge with this approach comes when the credit union needs to reduce friction for members or tighten controls to prevent fraud, because it’s extremely hard to know exactly what drove prior actions. A better alternative is to rely on scores and specific data. Tweaks to the scores or data points that drive actions allow credit unions to achieve the desired member experience and risk tolerance – just be sure to leverage internal experts help figure out those policies. By determining what conditions drive actions before the actions are taken (instead of doing it one case at a time) the decisions remain transparent and actionable. Looking for more insights around how to best position your credit union to mitigate and prevent fraud? Watch our webinar featuring experts from around the industry and key credit unions in this Fraud Insight Form hosted by CUES. Watch now Contact us

Credit cards are the most widely available credit products offered to millions of consumers today. For many consumers, owning a credit card is a relatively simple step toward establishing credit history and obtaining access to other lending products later in life. For credit unions, offering a credit card to members expands and enriches the credit relationship. In today’s environment, some credit unions don’t view credit cards as an integral part of their member service. I propose that the benefits of credit cards in a credit union portfolio are impactful, meaningful and fully align to member outreach and community service. A high-level review of risk-adjusted yields across three of the most common retail products offered by credit unions show that credit cards can be very profitable. The average APR of credit cards as of Q3 2020 is just slightly below personal loans. While charge-offs as a percentage of balances are more than double of personal loans, the estimated risk-adjusted yield is still elevated and is 1.8 times higher than auto loan and leases. See Table 1. Table 1. Estimated average risk-adjusted yield for auto loan and lease, personal loan, and credit card for credit unions Auto loan and lease Personal loan Credit card Average APR 5.21% 12.05% 11.26% Charge-offs as % of balances (annualized) 0.28% 0.89% 1.98% Risk-adjusted yield 4.93% 11.16% 9.28% Notes: Average APR of auto loans and leases, personal loans, and charge-off information as of Q3 2020 was extracted from Experian-Oliver Wyman IntelliViewSM Market Intelligence Reports. IntelliView Market Intelligence Reports, Dec. 22, 2020, experian.com/decision-analytics/market-intelligence/intelliview. Average APR of credit card as of Q3 2020 was extracted from National Credit Union Administration website. Credit Union and Bank Rates 2020 Q3, Dec. 22, 2020, https://www.ncua.gov/analysis/cuso-economic-data/credit-union-bank-rates/credit-union-and-bank-rates-2020-q3. Estimated risk-adjusted yield is calculated as the difference between average APR and charge-offs. A profitable retail product allows a credit union to share those profits back with members consistent with its mission of promoting and supporting the financial health and well-being of its members. Credit cards provide diversification of income streams. Income diversification provides a level of stability across cyclical economic conditions when some types of credit exposures may perform poorly, while others may be more stable. When combined with sound and effective risk governance, credit diversification allows lenders to mitigate levels of concentration risks in their aggregate portfolio. Offering credit cards to members is one avenue to grow loan volume and achieve scale that’s sufficiently manageable for credit unions. Scale is particularly important today as it’s needed to fund technology investments. The pandemic accelerated the massive movement toward digital engagement, and scale makes technology investments more cost-effective.  When lenders become more productive and efficient, they further lower the cost of credit products to members. (Stovall, Nathan. Dec. 14, 2020. Desire to compete with megabanks driving more U.S. regional bank M&A — KBW CE blog. https://platform.mi.spglobal.com/web/client?auth=inherit#news/.) The barriers to offering credit cards have moderately declined. Technology partners, payment processors and specialized industry companies are available in the marketplace. The biggest challenge for credit unions and lenders is credit risk management. To be profitable and to stay relevant, credit cards require a relatively sophisticated risk management framework of underwriting criteria, pricing, credit line management, operations and marketing. Industry and specialized support for launching and managing credit cards is widely available and accessible. Analytics play an essential role in managing credit cards. With an average active life of approximately five years, credit card portfolios need regular and periodic performance reviews to manage inherent risk and to identify opportunities for growth and profitability. Account management for credit cards is equally as important as underwriting. Credit line management, authorization, activation and retention have significant impact to the performance of existing accounts. Continuous engagement with members is critical and has taken on a new meaning lately. Credit cards provide an opportunity to engage members, to grow lending relationships and to support financial well-being. Marketing and meaningful card offers drive card usage and relevance. They’re critical components in customer communication and service. The benefits of credit cards contribute positively to a credit union portfolio. With sound and effective risk management practices, credit cards are profitable, help diversify income streams, grow loan volume and support member credit needs.

The CU Times recently reported on a nationwide synthetic identity fraud ring impacting several major credit unions and banks. Investigators for the Federal and New York governments charged 13 people and three businesses in connection to the nationwide scheme. The members of the crime ring were able to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in loans and credit cards from 10 credit unions and nine banks. Synthetic Identity Fraud Can’t Be Ignored Fraud was on an upward trend before the pandemic and does not show signs of slowing. Opportunistic criminals have taken advantage of the shift to digital interactions, loosening of some controls in online transactions, and the desire of financial institutions to maintain their portfolios – seeking new ways to perpetrate fraud. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many financial institutions shifted their attention from existing plans for the year. In some cases they deprioritized plans to review and revise their fraud prevention strategy. Over the last several months, the focus swung to moving processes online, maintaining portfolios, easing customer friction, and dealing with IT resource constraints. While these shifts made sense due to rapidly changing conditions, they may have created a more enticing environment for fraudsters. This recent synthetic identity fraud ring was in place long before COVID-19. That said, it still highlights the need to have a prevention and detection plan in place. Financial institutions want to maintain their portfolios and their customer or member experience. However, they can’t afford to table fraud plans in the meantime. “72% of FI executives surveyed believe synthetic identity fraud to be more challenging than identity theft. This is due to the fact that it is harder to detect—either crime rings nurture accounts for months or years before busting out with six-figure losses, or they are misconstrued as credit losses, and valuable agent time is spent trying to collect from someone who doesn’t exist,” says Julie Conroy, Research Director at Aite Group. Prevention and Detection Putting the fraud strategy discussion on hold—even in the short term—could open up a financial institution to potential risk at time when cost control and portfolio maintenance are watch words. Canny fraudsters are on the lookout for financial institutions with fewer protections. Waiting to implement or update a fraud strategy could open a business up to increased fraud losses. Now is the time to review your synthetic identity fraud prevention and detection strategies, and Experian can help. Our innovative new tool in the fight against synthetic identity fraud helps financial institutions stop fraudsters at the door. Learn more  

For financial marketers, long gone are the days of branded coffee mugs, teddy bears and the occasional print ad. Financial marketers are charged with customizing messaging and offerings at a customer level, increasing conversion rates, and moving beyond digital while keeping an eye on traditional channels. Additionally, financial marketing teams are having to do it all with less; according to CMO Survey, marketing budgets have remained stagnant for the last 6 years. Accordingly, competing in today’s world requires transforming your organization to address rapidly increasing complexity while containing costs.  Here are four tactics leading-edge firms are using to respond to changes in the market and better serve customers. More data, fewer problems Financial institutions ingest a mind-boggling variety of data, transaction details, transaction history, credit scores, customer preferences, etc. It can be difficult to know where to start or what to do with what is often terabytes of data. But the savviest teams are mining their unique data, along with bureau data, and other alternative and third-party data for rich decision making that drives differentiation. Getting analytical In financial institutions, advanced analytics has traditionally lived with lenders, underwriters, risk and fraud, departments, etc. But marketers too can find the value in the volume, velocity and variety of new data sources available to financial institutions. Using advanced analytics allows the most forward-thinking financial marketers to better target customers, personalize experiences, respond in near-real-time or even predict actions, and measure the impact of marketing investments. Customized quality time with customers Thanks to the likes of Google and Amazon, consumers have become accustomed to individualized interactions with firms they utilize. And this desire is just as present when it comes to their financial institution. But banks, credit unions and fintechs have been historically slow to respond. According to a recent Capgemini study, 70% of US consumers feel like their financial institution doesn’t understand their needs. The most dynamic financial marketing teams tailor quality experiences that increase consumer engagement and long-term relationships. All the channels, all the time The financial marketer’s job doesn’t stop at creating bespoke experiences for customers. Firms are also having to leverage an omnichannel approach to reach these clients, across an ever-growing number of channels and touchpoints. If that wasn’t enough, campaign cycles are shortening to match consumers changing demands and need for instant gratification—again, thanks Amazon. But the best teams determine which media or interaction resonates most effectively with clients, whether face-to-face, via an app, chatbot, or social media and have conversations across all of them seamlessly. It’s clear, financial firms must transform their approach to address increasing market complexity without increasing costs. Financial marketers are saddled with stagnant marketing budgets, proliferating media channels and shorter campaign cycles, with an expectation to continue delivering results. It’s a very tall order, especially if your financial institution is not leveraging data, analytics and insights as the differentiators they could be. CMOs and their marketing teams must invest in new technologies, strategies and data sources that best reflect the expectations of their customers. How is your bank or credit union responding to these financial marketing challenges? Watch our 2020 Credit Marketing Trends On-Demand Webinar  

It’s December, and if you’re like most credit union leaders, your strategic plan is distributed, and the 2020 budget is approved. Before you know it, you and your team will be off and running to pursue the New Year’s goals. Another thing most of us have in common is a strategic membership growth priority. New members are needed to help us take loan and deposit growth to the next level. Specifically, who are you looking for? It’s surprising how many credit union leaders have a difficult time clarifying their ideal member(s). They usually come up short after they have called out younger borrowers, active checking account users, prime credit, middle income, homeowners, etc. The reality is in today’s competitive market, these general audiences are not definitive enough. Many then go to market with a limited universe that is too generic to be highly effective. Savvy marketers have a much deeper understanding of who they are reaching and why. First, they have clearly defined the ideal member i.e. product profitability, relationship profitability, referrals, how they access the credit union, etc. Second, they use data, analytics and demographic segmenting to refine their search further to reveal the ideal member. They leverage information to understand what drives the potential members decision making. They understand that every potential member does not live the same type of life. They segment markets into groups to understand their shared values and life experiences. These segments include geographic, demographic, financial behavior, and motivation that includes psychographics and social values. Thus, armed with this information, they align the consumer’s needs with the credit union’s products, purpose and strategic goals. This clarity allows them to invest their marketing dollars for the best possible result. Most credit unions would identify “younger borrowers” as a desired member, so we’ve laid out two examples of just how different this member can look. Ambitious Singles – is a demographic segment comprised of younger cutting-edge singles living in mid-scale, metro areas that balance work and leisure lifestyles. Annual Median income $75k - $100K Highly educated First time home buyers Professionals, upwardly mobile Channel preferences for engaging with brands (and their offers) is while watching or streaming TV, listening to their favorite radio apps or while browsing the web on their phones. They are also quite email receptive (but subject lines must be compelling) Families Matter Most – This segment is comprised of young middle-class families in scenic suburbs, leading family focused lives. Annual Median income $75K - $99K Have children 4-6 yrs. old Educated Homeowners Child-related purchases Credit revolver and auto borrowers (larger vehicles) Go online for banking, telecommuting and shopping Both segments represent younger borrowers with similar incomes, but they have different loan needs, lifestyle priorities and preferences for engaging with a marketing offer. These are just two examples of the segmentation data that is available from Experian. The segmentation solution provides a framework to help credit unions identify the optimal customer investment strategy for each member segment. This framework helps the credit union optimize their marketing between differentiating segments. For some segments the investment may be directed toward finding the ideal member. Others may be made to find depositors. While many credit unions don’t have infinite marketing budgets or analytical resources, segmentation help marketers more efficiently and effectively pursue the best member or develop member personas to better resonate with existing members. The feedback we have heard from credit union leaders is that the solution is the best segmentation tool they have seen. Learn more about it here. What your team is up against Today, credit unions face national competitors that are using state-of-the-art data analytics, first-rate technology and in-depth market segmentation to promote very attractive offers to win new members, deposits, checking accounts and loans. Their offers have a look, feel, message and offer that are relevant to the person receiving the offer. Here are a few recent “offer” examples that we have heard of that should give you pause: Fintech companies, like the Lending Club offering auto loan refinances (the offer provides an estimate of refinance interest savings). The ad we saw had an estimated monthly payment of $80. PayPal Cashback Mastercard® – with a $300 early use cash bonus and 3% cash back on purchases. High limit personal loans that take minutes to apply and to be funded. Banks acting alone or in partnership with a fintech to offer online checking accounts with new account opening bonuses ranging from $300-$600. and of course, Quicken® Mortgage promoting low rates and fast and seamless origination. These are just a few recent examples from thousands of offers that are reaching your ideal member. Besides offering great rates, cash back, low fees and seamless service – these offers are guided by robust data analytics and consumer segmentation to reach and engage a well-defined, ideal consumer. Why it matters The 2020 race is on. Hopefully your team has clarity of the member(s) they want to reach, access to robust data analytics, in depth consumer insights, reliable credit resources and marketing tools they will need to compete in the toughest financial market any of us have likely ever seen. If you’re afraid that you can’t afford the right tools when it comes to marketing, consider what the dealer fee is for purchasing an indirect auto loan. What if the 2% or more fee was reallocated to finding organic loan growth with consumers you’re more likely to build a relationship with? Or consider the cost of consistently marketing to the wrong consumer segments with the wrong message, at the wrong time and in the wrong channels. What if you could increase your market engagement rate from 5% to 10%? Perhaps the best strategic question is can you afford NOT to have the best tools that support future membership growth? If you don’t win your ideal member, somebody else will. Learn More About Scott Butterfield, CUDE, CCUE Principal, Your Credit Union Partner Scott Butterfield is a trusted advisor to the leaders of more than 170 credit unions located throughout the United States. A respected veteran of the CU Movement, he understands the challenges and opportunities facing credit unions today. Scott believes that credit unions matter, and that consumers and small businesses need credit unions to now more than ever.

As credit unions look to grow their loan portfolios and acquire new members, improving the member experience is critical to the process and remains a primary focus. In order to compete in the lending universe, financial tools that empower and enable a positive experience are critical to meeting these requirements. That being said, an Experian study reveals that 90% of executives agree that embracing a digital transformation is critical to providing excellent experiences. In this connected, data-driven world, digital transformations are opening the door for better and greater opportunities. With data and analytics, credit unions will be able to gain data-driven insights, to identify key channels of member engagement, create complete member views and further maximize growth and lending strategies. Data-driven organizations that can anticipate their members’ needs and preferences will be able to deepen relationships and maintain relevance – gaining an edge in a highly-competitive environment. The digital revolution is happening now – and it’s time for future-focused credit unions to adapt to changing expectations. However, according to an Experian report, 39% of organizations lack the customer insight and data required to provide these member experiences. That’s where Experian comes in. Join Mike Thibodeaux, Experian’s Senior Director, Fraud and Identity Sales Engineers, for a breakout session at CUNA Lending 2019 on Monday, Nov. 4 at 1:45 p.m. or 3:15 p.m. He will take a closer look at best practices and digital tools that credit unions can use to maximize credit union membership growth, while managing and mitigating fraud. The discussion will revolve around multiple topics, critical to the member experience conversation, including: Increasing profitable loan growth Lending deeper to the underserved Levering digital services and tools for your credit union Minimizing fraud activity (specifically synthetic identity fraud) and credit losses Enhancing and maintaining positive member experiences Experian is excited to once again take part in the 2019 CUNA Lending Council Conference, an event that brings together the credit union movement’s best and brightest in lending. If you’re attending, make sure to engage and connect with our thought leaders at our booth and learn how we’re dedicated to helping credit unions of all sizes advance their decisioning and services. Our team is committed to being a trusted partner – providing solutions that enable you to further grow, protect and serve within your field of membership. Learn More

Fintechs take on banks, technology, and finance as we know It. In the credit space, their reputation as a market disruptor precedes their definition. But now, as they infiltrate headlines and traditional finance as many know it – serving up consumer-centric, convenience-touting, access-for-all online marketplace lending – fintechs aren’t just becoming a mainstay within the financial spectrum’s vernacular. With their increasing foothold in the marketplace, they are here and they are gaining momentum. Since their initial entry to the marketplace in 2006, these technology-driven online platforms flaunt big data, actionable analytics and originations growing at exponential rates. Fintechs hang their hats on their ability to be the “anti-bank” of sorts. The brainchild of finance plus technology, their brands promise simple but powerful deliverables – all centered on innovation. And they market themselves as filling in the gaps commonly accepted as standard practices by traditional financial institutions. Think paperwork, less-than-instant turnaround times, a history of unwavering tradition, etc. Fintechs deliver a one-two punch, serving the marketplace as both lending companies and technology gurus – two pieces that financial institutions want and consumers crave. Now, as they grow more prominent within the marketplace, some are starting to pivot to test strategic partnerships and bring their strengths – technological infrastructure, speed and agility – to credit unions and other traditional financial institutions. According to the World FinTech Report 2018, 75.5% of fintechs surveyed want to collaborate with traditional financial services firms. The challenge, is that both fintechs and traditional financial institutions struggle with finding the right partners, efficiently working together and effectively scaling innovation. From competitors to collaborators, how can fintechs and traditional institutions strike a partnership balance? A recent report sponsored by Experian and conducted by the Filene Research Institute, explores this conundrum by examining the experiences of six financial institutions – some fintechs and some traditional FIs – as they seek to collaborate under the common goal of better serving customers. The results offer up key ingredients for fostering a successful collaboration between fintechs and traditional financial institutions – to generate real impact to the customer experience and the bottom-line. Rest assured, that in the fast-moving, disruptive world of fintech, effective partnerships such as these will continue to push boundaries and redefine the evolving financial services marketplace. Learn More About Online Marketplace Lending Download the Filene Report

Shawn Hanson, CEO of Marine Credit Union in Wisconsin, knows a thing or two about growth.  Over the past 18 years as CEO, Shawn and his team have the grown the credit union significantly, both organically and through acquisitions. In addition, he has developed a clear vision to reach the underserved. I spoke with Shawn to get his perspective and insights about growth, risk and the underserved. Here’s what he had to say: Marine Credit Union has grown from $120M to $789M over the past 18 years under your leadership.  What have been the top 2-3 actions you’ve taken to fuel this growth? The past two decades of growth have included a lot of successes, but also some key failures. Failures that taught us some hard lessons in who we are – and who we are not. If I can point to one action that has had the most impact on our growth, it is the refinement of our focus. We clarified our mission, vision and strategy and aligned our business decisions accordingly. Over the past 18 years as CEO, what has been your proudest moment? (Or proudest moments?) I reach out to employees on a regular basis and ask them to share with me a story of how they impacted a member’s life. I hear stories of people who never thought they would dig themselves out of a financial hole, and people we are helping to save thousands of dollars each month in bill payments. I feel so fortunate that I get to hear these stories every day. So, to answer your question, my proudest moment will happen today when I hear that next story. Then again tomorrow. And again, the next day. What drove Marine’s decision to focus on serving the underserved? I started my career in the consumer finance industry, so it is where my roots lie. Over time, we have come to discover that serving the underserved is not only a good business to be in, it is a business that is good. A business that is doing well while doing good – performing financially while giving back to its communities – is a business that people want to be around. How does your credit union define underserved?  What services does your staff offer members that are unique? We define the underserved as people who cannot typically get help down the block. While this most often means individuals, who are credit-challenged, it is more than that. Our underserved can be an overleveraged borrower who needs some help simplifying their life and streamlining bill payments. We have a debt consolidation product that’s a perfect fit for that situation. Our underserved can be a self-employed borrower whose income statements don’t fit inside a neat box, a homebuyer with an unconventional property. or an immigrant with alternative documentation. Our in-house underwriting and decentralized decision-making structure give us more flexibility to serve our underserved. Given your credit union’s history of growth through acquisitions, how have you preserved the culture of reaching the underserved? We are experienced, but we are not perfect. When it comes to the integration of employees, we learn through each acquisition. Our strategy is very different from other financial institutions, and we know this creates a learning curve for merging employees. Cultural integration is incredibly important to us. We have taken this too slow, too fast and everywhere in between. What we know for certain is that one size does not fit all. Whatever approach we decide on for a cultural integration, we do it with intention and two key principles in mind: do what’s best for the employees and the members. Why do you think credit unions are uniquely positioned to reach & serve the underserved? Talk about roots; this is where we were born. Serving the underserved is in our credit union DNA. Beyond our history, it is what we are known for: people helping people. Credit unions have built a legacy of trust with the communities we serve. Trust has become a coveted commodity. What is the biggest misperception among credit unions regarding the topic of serving the underserved? It’s too risky. One of the underpinnings of the credit union movement is providing a path to affordable credit.  What should risk-adverse credit unions think about when evaluating their mission? Think about the role you play in your community; how would the world be poorer, but for your presence? If you can answer with clarity, you're serving a need. Everybody seems to be chasing the most qualified borrowers today. We're focused on being there for the rest. Marine’s mission is to “create a better future for themselves and their families”.  What has been the biggest surprise for you serving the underserved? We call it “the snowball effect.” Repeatedly, we have seen one small “yes” turn into a remarkably different life for a member we have helped. A car loan led to transportation to work, which led to a steady job, which led to a promotion, which led to buying a home. I never underestimate the power of a chance. How has your board helped to accelerate the mission to reach the underserved?  What advice do you have for boards who are concerned of taking on more perceived risk? I feel very fortunate to work with a Board of Directors who has accelerated our mission in many ways, but most importantly, by having an open mind and allowing themselves to think differently. Our Board is always learning and always pushing me, one another and the credit union to be better. Strategic planning season is upon us.  What advice do you have for credit unions looking to lend deeper? Hone your focus. Know who you are and who you are not. Know who you serve and who you do not. Get aligned on where you want to be 5, 10 and 20 years from now, and work backward. What do you need to be focusing on in 2019 to achieve your long-term goals, and what do you need to stop wasting energy on? Ensure your people, products and processes are aligned and scaled to support a diversification or transition. This can take years to build or evolve. Walk, don’t run.   About Shawn Hanson Shawn Hanson is the CEO of Marine Credit Union. He has been with the credit union since April 2000 when the credit union had two offices and $37 million in assets. Hanson’s vision for the future is a differentiated financial institution that provides services to a broad geographic base with the best service. Hanson has also held positions at Citizens Community Federal Credit Union and AVCO Financial Services. Learn more about the array of alternative credit data sources available to financial institutions to reach your underserved populations.