Dear Editor:
As someone who's been in the credit union industry for more than 20 years, I'm enjoying the CUTimes25 series immensely. But as a veteran technology professional, I especially liked the “1990 Technology Throwback: Photos” by Myriam DiGiovanni (CU Times, Aug. 12), which showed leading-edge technology of the day.
The lightning-speed pace of change has been faster, I think, than most of us could imagine, and yet it was just … yesterday. Gone are file cabinets meant to store 5¼” floppy disks. You'll only see continuous feed stacks of green-bar paper in museums. And we no longer need to store member statements and checks on microfiche. (Of course, at DigitalMailer, we're not too sentimental about that!) But my favorite picture is “mobile banking” in 1990, which meant sending staff members out in a custom-designed RV.
Even so, those early tech photos are more than a trip down memory lane. What strikes me is how our industry is continually seeking innovative ways to serve members better and keep costs down. Who knew we'd have anywhere, anytime access on “computers” little bigger than a cassette tape? Or the ability to use data mining to pinpoint marketing offers to a member's specific interests? Or that consumers could deposit checks and balance their checkbooks on their phones?
If we stay on this path, members will have the convenience they want and credit unions will continue to be known for strong member relationships. It will be fun to see what the next 25 years brings, and I'm glad to be part of our industry as we keep pushing for ways to enhance “the member experience.”
Oh, and those mobile branches inside RVs? They sure came in handy when credit unions all over the country helped their colleagues in the Gulf after Hurricane Katrina. Now, if we could find a use for the 5¼” floppies.
Sincerely,
Jesse Boyer
President/CEO
DigitalMailer, Inc.
Herndon, Va.
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