Dissatisfied with microfiche storage options, New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union invented DARS, an optical storage system designed to save credit unions up to 75% of their microfiche expense. DARS could operate with existing data lines on IBM compatible PCs and store 780,000 pages of information on one optical disc while providing remote backup.

In 1990, kiosks gained popularity as an alternative to building expensive branches to serve members. Often located in the parking lot of a shopping center, for a total investment of $40,000, the kiosk housed an ATM and generated monthly fee income in the tens of thousands of dollars for early adopters like Raleigh, N.C.-based State Employees Credit Union and Lockheed Georgia Employees FCU based in Marietta, Ga.

Mobile branches, which nearly became obsolete when ATMs and phone tellers were commonplace, made a comeback at Schools Federal Credit Union based in Sacramento, Calif. Recognized as the pioneer of the concept back in 1976, Schools FCU found that remote units in the form of mobile homes fit a growing need among its member schools.

Hit hard by a recession and in desperate need of a turnaround, Richmond Savings Credit Union, based in Richmond, British Columbia, turned to a PC-based computer system. The network of more than 260 IBM compatible AST 386 microcomputers cost two-thirds of the price of most computer systems and intelligence was distributed throughout the system.

The PCs were task specific. Each office site was equipped with a branch storage unit and a PC that functioned as a miniframe. By 1990, with every employee having access to a “personal banker” microcomputer, paperwork was essentially eliminated and cross-sales skyrocketed.

BigmOUTH, a software-based phone answering system, helped credit unions handle the demand for loans after business hours. Members could use the system to apply for any type of loan and their requests were digitally recorded on the the hard disk of a computer.

Fired as a commercial teller by Hibernia Bank because of her friendly relationships with customers, Shelly Dilion found a home at Dallas Postal Credit Union as a receptionist greeting members in person and on the phone. The role of credit union receptionists would evolve to personal greeters in later years.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H. W. Bush. It mandated improved access for the handicapped at all U.S. businesses and affected credit union facilities budgets.

The Credit Union Satelite Network had big dreams of creating a national credit union satellite communications network. The network would offer teleconferencing, credit union news programming, satellite mail and 24-hour background music to be played in lobbies or phone systems. Broadcasting training sessions to credit unions was to be its primary function.

How the ATM has changed!

Do these images bring back any memories?