Skip to main content

Staying Competitive: 5 Strategic Priorities


Over the last decade, the function of a credit union branch has shifted and there have been two contributing factors: The global pandemic and expedited digital transformation.

First, the pandemic has drastically changed the way members expect to bank. At the height of the pandemic, many branches closed or reduced traffic. Members that wouldn’t typically have chosen digital banking opted for it to meet their banking needs. The shift away from branch-based services during the pandemic helped baby boomer and Gen X members adopt digital banking when they may not have otherwise.

Even without the impact of the pandemic, the transformation to digital-first processes and products has been underway for some time. This transformation has steadily been shifting the branch’s purpose away from basic transactions to more sophisticated member interactions. The pandemic merely accelerated this shift, and it is becoming vital for credit unions to embrace digital transformation to stay competitive.

Competing for Business

Over the last several years, credit union competition has evolved and expanded. Banks were once the primary competition for credit unions. Now multiple, non-traditional, digital banking options are making it increasingly difficult for credit unions to compete. Some of these branchless competitors include:

  • Fintech companies;
  • Neobanks;
  • Digital-only financial institutions;
  • Digital-first lenders and investment firms; and
  • Mobile payment platforms.

As competition increases and continues to expand into new markets, there are resources and strategies that credit unions can leverage to maximize member service and profit. Here are five growth strategies to help credit unions of all sizes maintain their competitive edge.

1. Fast track digital transformation. Some may say that digital transformation is beginning, but we argue that it’s already here. Although the pandemic highlighted the need among credit unions for digital transformation, it was already apparent that credit unions needed to adapt digitally.

Digital transformation in 2022 is being fueled by artificial intelligence. Conversational AI is becoming the norm in both business infrastructure and consumers’ daily lives. AI deploys data to replace and improve business functions and is impacting the credit union industry by improving operations, member service and digital tools. Amplifying AI technology will enhance member relationships and can help credit unions prepare for future branch disruptions.

2. Centralize member data. Your members’ data can help your credit union identify the most profitable members and predict their behaviors, as well as uncover red flags for potential risk.

Prioritize member relationships and continue to generate revenue while mitigating risk.
By Traci Mottweiler CUTimes

Centralizing member data is crucial for digitally transforming your credit union, and to enhance and streamline risk determinations, growth opportunities and member communication. Once data is centralized through a single data engine, it can then be automated to predict member behaviors, giving you a 360-degree view of your member.

These analytics can also point to increased or decreased loan risk for specific members or groups of members.

3. Mitigate lending risk. In a turbulent market, identifying and avoiding loan risk is vital for portfolio health and growth. While it is promising that the average FICO has increased since the pandemic, according to FICO, this cannot determine future payment ability or overall loan risk. Relying on the FICO score alone could lead to missed opportunities for underserved markets or additional risk for high-risk borrowers. Using member data and a proven forecasting solution can help mitigate lending risk. Additionally, consider adopting new protection solutions that can be bundled with loan products, such as unemployment protection and loan warranty, to protect both your members and your portfolio.

4. Drive alternative revenue. It is necessary, but challenging, to balance revenue growth with risk protection. Offering deposit solutions and enhancing online banking capabilities (such as remote deposit capture) growth can offset loan risks.

In addition to loan and deposit revenue, noninterest income can help drive income and maintain profits. Protection products for auto loans and mortgages can help protect members during financial crisis and uncertainty while addressing margin compressions and liquidity concerns.

5. Evaluate industry partnerships. As credit unions look for ways to streamline processes and leverage human capital, review what new solutions are available in the marketplace to outsource. Since the pandemic, many credit unions are outsourcing aspects of business that previously wouldn’t have been considered, including AI, data analytics and modeling, the call center, collections and recovery solutions. Outsourced solutions should always support your credit union’s strategic objectives.

Despite a turbulent market and shifting member expectations, the credit union mission holds fast. Prioritizing member relationships and continuing to generate revenue while mitigating risk are strong growth strategies that will help credit unions maintain their competitive edge.

Comments

Post a Comment

Please no profanity or political comments.

Popular posts from this blog

Why First Responder Credit Unions Are Built to Adopt Blockchain Faster

  For years, blockchain in financial services lived mostly in the world of experimentation—proofs of concept, pilot programs, and innovation labs that rarely touched day-to-day operations. That era is ending. Today, blockchain adoption is moving from experimentation to scale. Across payments, capital markets, and banking infrastructure, financial institutions are beginning to operate on new rails—powered by tokenized money, programmable assets, and always-on settlement models. For credit unions serving first responders, this shift presents not just a technology opportunity, but a strategic one. Blockchain Is Becoming Core Infrastructure The most important change isn’t the technology itself—it’s how it’s being used. Blockchain is no longer about testing what might work. It’s increasingly being deployed as infrastructure to solve long-standing problems in financial services, including slow settlement, trapped liquidity, manual reconciliation, and limited operating hours. Cr...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Health Coverage Tailored for You! Allstate Health Solutions

Health Coverage Tailored for You!  Allstate Health Solutions At the National Council of Firefighter Credit Unions ( NCOFCU), we can help credit unions and their members find health coverage that supports their lifestyle and budget . Through our partnership with Allstate Health Solutions , you get access to flexible health plan options — including short-term medical, supplemental coverage, dental, and more — designed to fill gaps and bring peace of mind when life shifts or coverage matters most. Why choose Allstate Health Solutions?   https://ncofcu.allstatehealth.com/ Flexible health plan options — Explore short-term medical, supplemental accident, critical illness, and dental coverage that fits your needs and budget. Coverage made simple — Find and compare plans quickly with our easy online experience. Support for transitions — Ideal for periods between job-based coverage, changes in life circumstances, or when you want supplement...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Sunday Reading - Budweiser 101

Draft Horses   Budweiser 101 Perhaps best known for its Super Bowl Clydesdale ads, Budweiser   is among the world’s most popular beer brands. It was among the first beers to achieve national distribution in the late 19th century, thanks to its revolutionary refrigeration and pasteurization techniques, setting the stage for the modern US beer industry.   Founded in the 1850s as the “Bavarian Brewery,” the company was acquired in 1860 by Eberhard Anheuser. He sold half of it to his son-in-law,  Adolphus Busch ,   in 1869, forming the partnership that would become Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, Missouri.   In the 1870s, Carl Conrad , a St. Louis distributor, traveled through a Bohemian town called “Budweis” in German and drank a pale lager. Upon returning home, he worked with Anheuser-Busch to brew its own light lager, marketing it under the ...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Letter to Credit Unions (24-CU-03) Consumer Harm Stemming from Certain Overdraft and Non-Sufficient Funds Fee Practice

      Letter to Credit Unions (24-CU-03) Consumer Harm Stemming from Certain Overdraft and Non-Sufficient Funds Fee Practices Dear Boards of Directors and Chief Executive Officers: If your credit union assesses overdraft or non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees that your members cannot reasonably anticipate or avoid, your credit union may be exposing itself to heightened reputational, consumer compliance,...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Harper Issues Letter to CU Execs Outlining NCUA’s Approach to Overdraft, NSF Fees - Henry Meier, Esq

Legal and compliance expert,  Henry Meier, Esq,  says this is an “unequivocal warning” to credit unions to address the issue sooner than later. The issue of overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees has gone from a business practice that was seen as simply part of the credit union business plan, to a topic fraught with political and social ramifications. Much of the fee debate began earlier this year when the CFPB issued a proposed rule to clamp down on banks and credit unions issuing what  Director Rohit Chopra called “junk fees.”  From there, the overdraft and NSF issue became worrisome for many credit union leaders who have or continue to have some kind of reliance on the fee income. On Tuesday, NCUA Chairman Todd Harper  posted the guidance letter  on the agency’s website that gave credit unions a very clear picture of the NCUA’s stance on its approach to overdraft and NSF fees – these fees may be a significant legal, consumer compliance, third-part...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

The NCOFCU Podcast: Clear Insight. No Jargon.

Every week, we cover the latest trends and developments within the credit union industry. At NCOFCU, we are dedicated to providing you with insightful discussions that cut through the clutter. Our podcast features expert opinions, in-depth analyses, and an exploration of the challenges and opportunities that credit unions, directors, and staff face today. Join us as we navigate the evolving industry and empower associations with the knowledge they need to thrive. https://ceohp.podbean.com/ ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with  NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: First Responder Credit Union Academy Financial Literacy Podcasts YouTube Mini's Blog Job Board
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

NCUA: More than $1.3 Million will be Available; Applications Due by May 22

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (April 13, 2020) – Recognizing the immediate needs of credit unions and their members in the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Credit Union Administration is committing the majority of the 2020 Community Development Revolving Loan Fund appropriation for COVID-19 assistance. “The NCUA recognizes that federally insured credit unions will face unpredictable challenges and costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” NCUA Chairman Rodney E. Hood said. “The increase in available grant funding will help more low-income credit unions to continue offering quality and affordable financial services to their members and communities. I encourage all eligible credit unions in need to consider applying for these grants as a means to ensure service to their members.” The agency is committing $1,375,000 for grants to eligible low-income credit unions, an increase of $575,000 from the $800,000 originally announced on March 31. This funding will supplant the traditional Community Developm...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

Chairman Hauptman’s Remarks for FLEC Public Meeting (Trump Accounts)

  As Prepared for Delivery on February 6, 2026 Meeting Focus: Implementation and Outreach for Trump Accounts Good morning and thank you to our colleagues at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and members of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission for convening today’s important discussion. I also want to express my appreciation for this body’s leadership in encouraging savings and advancing the broader goal we all share—ensuring that every American has a meaningful opportunity to build financial capability, resilience, and long-term financial security. There’s a lot to like about Trump Accounts, including how easy it is to start the process when filing your taxes. These accounts were clearly designed with behavioral economics in mind. That is to say, things that are easier to do are more likely to get done. Trump accounts also turn all these kids into investors. The more Americans that identify as investors, the better off we are. Investing done by regular people turns Mar...
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»

What Does PTSD in a Firefighter Look Like? A New Brain Scan Can Show You

Link Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often described as one of the invisible scars that firefighters and others accumulate after years of dealing with trauma in their jobs. Now the scars are invisible no longer. A new tool—the SPECT scan—is offering a new way for firefighters and others with PTSD to visualize their injuries. SPECT stands for single photon emission computed tomography, and it creates 3-D scans of the patient’s brain that look at blood flow and brain activity, KTLA reports. Those scans can then be used to generate a treatment plan tailored to the specific patient based on the visual effects of PTSD. Retired Firefighter-Paramedic Matthew Fiorenza, a PTSD sufferer, told the station that the scans also help make the illness more tangible. “Looking at a picture of my brain, it just took the stigma out of it,” he told KTLA. “It’s like, okay, I’m not crazy.”  
Post a Comment
Read Complete Article HERE>»