When managing various forms of communication during times of uncertainty, credit union leaders are well-prepared to handle situations as planned for in their crisis communication plans. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, is a unique situation. Most crisis communication plans did not anticipate anything on this scale. Business leaders, credit union leaders included, have been left to use their best judgment on how to best navigate it.

Planning for deployment and delivery of non-critical communications is important. Members are receiving an overload of communications from companies, and it is creating fatigue. Credit unions should work to ensure any specials, deals and other member engagements are limited to products that directly benefit their members, who may now find themselves without jobs or experiencing pay cuts. Credit unions need to utilize digital channels such as their website and social media to mitigate further load onto printers.