Over the past week, the states of Georgia and South Carolina took first steps to reopening last week. Depending on which cable news station you tuned into, the decision was met with skepticism, extreme opposition and even great celebration. Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Nevada and Texas will soon follow suit, presenting businesses the unique new set of challenges of doing business in the era of COVID-19.
Credit Unions have spent the past several months managing operations with lobbies closed, phone lines jammed and other obstacles from social distancing requirements. Text Messaging has proven to be the best way for CUs of all asset sizes across the country to stay engaged with members.
We had the pleasure of winning Central Willamette Credit Union’s business towards the beginning of the crisis. The Albany, Ore.-based CU wanted to send secure and compliant Text Messaging in order to communicate more effectively with members during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Team Eltropy expedited the training and deployment process and they were up and running within 24 hours with Text Messaging.
Team Eltropy has wondered how Credit Unions suddenly snap back to “normal.” The answer? They don’t. Instead, CUs must slowly adapt to a new reality. Text Messaging and Eltropy can help:
Lobbies Reopen but Look Different
Several credit unions have shared with our team that they are considering limiting how many people can be in the lobby once reopening. Text Messaging is a great tool to successfully manage endeavor. While members wait outside the lobby for their turn to enter, consider sending simple text alerting the wait time as well as when it’s their turn to go inside. With Eltropy, a CUs can quickly generate, schedule and send automatic messages and responses.
Reluctant Members
Despite states’ decisions to reopen their economies, your CU’s members may not necessarily be running back into the outside world to resume their former daily routines. As a result, members may be unwilling to return to branches, presenting a greater need for remote options. Eltropy’s secure platform allows members to communicate with your team members to submit documents, loan applications and more without physically stepping into the branch. Respecting cautious members and the desire to continue social distancing is imperative for service-focused organizations like Credit Unions.
Delayed Reopenings
The approval to reopen is not a requirement to reopen. While many governors are hoping to open their state’s economies to soften the financial blow, Credit Unions will be faced with the important decision of whether or not it’s worth the risk. Sending 1:Many Text Messaging to members alerting them about the status of reopening, new hours of operations or other important updates is a valuable tool offered by Eltropy. The ability to still operate with document collection, loan processes, marketing campaigns and more with Eltropy’s secure and easy-to-use platform affords Credit Unions the option of delaying reopening if deeming it necessary for the health of employees and members.
The impact of COVID-19 will exist beyond the economic reopening in the U.S. Credit Unions, along with other businesses, will be faced with new challenges. Eltropy is committed to the Credit Union Movement as it navigates the post-pandemic world.
Request a demo today to learn about our world class secure and compliant Text Messaging solution.
