Credit Union Members Positive About Texting
Credit union members appear to absolutely love text message interactions.
The Berkeley, Calif.-based Shastic has two software-as-a-service tech solutions built to enhance the digital experience with credit unions: Lead-Gen Bots, interactive tools that track and engage consumers shopping for loans; and the Elle text messaging platform, an end-to-end member engagement vehicle that integrates with new membership and loan applications, and provides live chat for tracking.
Many credit unions use both products because they connect with one another and into existing banking IT infrastructure, helping provide a smooth omnichannel integration across the web, mobile, SMS, email and Facebook.
Joseariel Gomez, CEO at Shastic, said, “When it comes to credit unions, we consider ourselves specialists. As a trusted technology vendor, Shastic has worked with hundreds of credit unions. The technology tools we build are a result of continuous conversations we have with our credit union partners. The text messaging platform, Elle, was created after listening to the communication challenges credit unions were facing.”
Gomez pointed out many credit unions have lending team members that use their personal mobile phones to send text messages to members without obtaining the required prior consent. The centralized Elle platform helps financial institutions fully comply with guidelines.
The Shastic CEO also noted abandonment rates for online banking applications are at an all-time high with some reports placing them close to 98%. “The Elle text messaging platform is built for credit unions to engage with members as they move through the application process and remove obstacles so more applications are completed.”
Elle integrates with the systems credit unions already use, including account opening, loan origination and customer relationship management systems.
In June 2018, the $228-million, Norwich, Conn.-based CorePlus Federal Credit Union began using a combination of Shastic’s interactive calculators connected with the institution’s loan origination system; it also integrated the Elle text messaging platform into its new membership and digital loan applications. Jessica Peck, eService Manager at CorePlus, maintained, “We have seen significant improvement in new member communication as well as loan turnaround times since our implementation of Elle.”
Throughout the deployment, CorePlus developed a plan that included training, launching and promoting the technology to members. The team strategically placed the software tools across their financial product web pages and inside their mobile app. They then integrated texting within the Shastic calculators and into online loan and new member account apps to increase engagement and the number of completed applications. CorePlus also became the first credit union to implement Elle inside its mobile banking app.
Member response has been positive. Peck explained, “Our members wanted to communicate via text message. It’s the new way now. People don’t want to be tied to talking on the phone.” CorePlus has four people trained on Elle in its call center, but two of them monitor it all the time. The reps receive an email informing them when they have a text message, and a click brings them to the portal to respond.
The credit union also stepped up its member engagement using text messages to just check in to say, “How’s everything going with your accounts?” Peck noted that before, it was difficult because while nobody answers their phone during the day, everyone responds to texts. “We feel that member engagement has increased quite a bit.”
CorePlus is looking at possibly adding an enhanced version of Elle with automated responses to frequently asked questions.
In April 2018 the $163 million South Pasadena, Calif.-based Priority One Credit Union released the Elle text messaging platform for financial services to help shape the quality of its digital member journey.
“The fact is, many of our members are texting all day long. The adoption of the Elle text messaging platform was not a difficult transition for us because it is built in a way that aligns with our operations,” Daniel Ballesteros, marketing manager at Priority One Credit Union, said.
Ballesteros explained the platform provided unique digital journeys to increase member engagement and improve the end-user experience. “With one-on-one text messaging communication, Elle simplifies common banking needs including applying for a loan, starting a new membership, opening an account, [obtaining] member verification, checking balances and other on-demand services.” Once the texter inputs their name and phone number and gives permission to contact them, the Elle app redirects them to the loan application.
Additionally, Ballesteros noted, “Elle provides a fresh new way to communicate with our members, which is via SMS text. We already see members re-using the text message thread without the need to re-start the conversation through our website. We love the additional channel that Elle provides and our members love it, too.”
Elle allows Priority One to track prospective members online, who would otherwise fall through the cracks, serve members faster and alleviate some of the phone call volume.
Priority One’s call center reps rotate assignments for answering generic loan and membership questions, as well as balance transfers and loan payments. Ballesteros said, “It’s a new channel. We’ve been trying different ways to provide the better service.
The Priority One marketing manager explained the credit union has a training process that consists of demonstrating and completing the process together, and then handing the process over to the call center reps and their immediate supervisors. Among the new features Priority One is considering adding is making chats available within its website and the Facebook Messenger app.
“The one thing that’s important to us is to appear that we’re open 24 hours. Elle would allow us to provide instant responses if our members have a question after hours or on the weekends,” Susan Cerutti-Jensen, marketing director for the $155 million, Spokane (Washington) Federal Credit Union, which implemented Elle in October 2017. It has been working with Shastic’s calculators for at least three years.
Elle gives Spokane Federal members the ability to chat with the credit union and integrates into online loan and new member account applications. Among the benefits realized by Spokane Federal are cost savings and improved member processing time.
Text alerts come through via emails that direct agents to a dashboard. The Spokane Federal marketing director noted Elle also extracts data about members applying for a loan. “I can then take a look and see what our members are asking about, what kinds of conversations they have when they apply for a loan and what kinds of concerns they may have.”
Spokane Federal is looking to step up its text capabilities with Shastic’s elite package, in which the text platform generates auto responses to FAQs.
The credit union has a specific agent assigned to the text messages. “You want to pick somebody or a group of people who have really good communication skills,” Cerutti-Jensen recommended. “Somebody that is really good at establishing rapport and with relationship-building skills.”
She added, “I’ve been thrilled at the speed at which members have adopted using this tool. It’s just happened very organically and naturally.”
It is not just younger members chatting either. Spokane Federal in an informal sampling noticed chat sessions with members ranging from 18 to 77 years old. “Everyone has that expectation of speed and responsiveness. All generations are using this and liking it.”
By adopting text messaging, credit unions are communicating with members in the channels they use the most, Gomez explained. For example, the average open rate for text messages is 99%, with 98% of text messages read within the first three minutes.
Gomez pointed out the Elle text messaging platform connects with the most common digital journeys to improve each member’s experience. “In building the Elle text messaging platform for credit unions, it was important to make the process turnkey. This allows any credit union to start communicating with members using text messaging, same-day.”