MADISON, Wis. – While convenience, particularly office location, is the factor cited most often by consumers in selecting a checking provider, credit union members want more. A recent Filene Research Institute study titled Marketing Checking Accounts to Members: A Guide for CUs finds that households with checking services only at a credit union rank personal relationships, low fees and minimum balances, and having a wide range of services available at one location, as their top criteria. According to Filene Research Institute Executive Director Bob Hoel, bank customers are more likely to value convenience. The study examines a number of other variables related to determining where a consumer obtains a checking account, including years with the institution, size of checking balance, education, total financial assets and age. "This research is an important instrument in the marketer's tool box," said Hoel. "It demonstrates that perceptions of prices and quality in the marketplace strongly influence consumer buying decisions." Copies of Marketing Checking Accounts to Members: A Guide for CUs are available free to Institute members; $100 to non-members. Special reports are $50.