“Are we there yet?”
The cliché, oft-repeated, favorite line of kids on a long car ride is the terror of parents…especially the 40th or 50th time it’s said. Over and over and over again, the kiddos determinedly remind you of your destination. But maybe children have the right idea.
That’s right – consistent reminders aren’t annoying; they’re important.
And they’re especially important when it comes to your credit union member experience or bank customer experience. You need a consistent service journey and brand destination to differentiate yourself in this tight market.
Start at the End
One of Dr. Stephen Covey’s habits for highly effective people is “Begin with the end in mind.” It’s a habit for highly effective businesses too.
Don’t start with your journey map or the tactical specifics consumers encounter when they interact with you. Start with your brand vision – the outcome of providing people amazing service.
At Centric FCU, that’s helping people “Live Better.” At Zia CU, it’s “Lighting Your Journey.” Place yourself and your staff within a grander service narrative and overcommunicate your service vision. This might seem grating (like the “are we there yet” question), but reminders are necessary.
Because there are squirrels and shiny objects. Work is frustrating or exhausting. Whatever the reason, people are prone to forget the destination. Don’t let them.
Plan the Pit Stops
Your credit union member experience or bank customer experience is about the destination and the journey. You can’t skip to the destination on a car ride, and it’s the same way here. There are stops along the way.
Your journey map is the meat and potatoes of an operationalized brand, ensuring you consistently execute your brand vision on the ground. Plus, mastering a consistent journey map makes you 200% more likely to outperform competitors. There are several avenues to journey map.
You can create journey maps for:
- Call center inquiries
- In-branch visitors
- Loan applicants
- Online visitors
- Almost any service path you can think of
These can be as specific as you want them to be. Some are simply guidelines. Others have scripts prepared for employees to use at each interaction.
Regardless of the journey, each step must contain an imprint of your ultimate brand goal. It must move the ball down the field and engage the consumer. In some steps, that’s as simple as being friendly and professional. In others, it’s going above and beyond with tangible giveaways or offers.
Are They There Yet?
Your credit union member experience or bank customer experience vision and journey are not optional; they are mandatory parts of working at your organization. Allow no one to wander off the road and into the wilderness. Develop accountability measures to promote consistent program execution.
This looks a variety of ways:
- Random checks with a scorecard to prevent backsliding
- Promote superstars to “brand ambassadors” who inspire others on the frontlines
- Small groups that discuss and reinforce experience standards
Conduct a constant dialogue with employees, continuously asking: “Are we there yet? Are we passionately following the journey map? Are we moving towards the end goal?”
And if you need help getting “there,” On The Mark Strategies’ journey mapping and consumer experience training can fast-track you. Book a free consultation today.
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