CASE STUDY: Greater Alliance FCU
AS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OF ALL KINDS BECOME MORE CONNECTED, smart marketers are learning from public utilities that have survived in that kind of environment forever. A good example is this customer communications program for a New Jersey credit union, written while I worked at Creative Co-op (Exeter, NH) back in 2017.
Creative Co-op had built a niche serving water and electric utilities, which must proactively communicate with a vast customer base to minimize the effects of planned or unplanned outages. Keeping customers and public service commissions on your side in case a sudden storm knocks out service is a year-round job, demanding a strategic blend of long-term and quick-response tactics — just the sort of expertise needed by Greater Alliance Federal Credit Union, a New Jersey institution facing a major core processing upgrade that would deprive members of banking services for three days.
Drawing upon their experience producing customer communications for utilities such as Atlantic City Electric, strategists Josh Weinstein and Tish Casey of Creative Co-op outlined a program based on three key principles:
Position the conversion as a positive upgrade, avoiding “core conversion” or information technology jargon that’s fashionable with top management but worrisome for members
Integrate familiar, reassuring elements of the Greater Alliance brand and its “A Greater Way to Bank” tagline
Lean strongly on the credit union’s trusted staff, equipping them with support materials and talking points that could help allay fears in 1-to-1 conversations at branches
The Creative Approach
Tone of voice is critical in outage communications, and Greater Alliance’s campaign had to affirm rather than alarm. Relatively few of the credit union’s members were tech-savvy, similar to demographic patterns among area utilities. So I developed an overall theme tied to the credit union name and tagline: It’s a Change for the GREATER.
Emphasizing that the credit union was evolving to meet member needs with new convenience, each concept in our initial campaign showed a closeup of a member’s hands as they made use of an upgraded service. Straightforward headlines and copy pointed toward new benefits “for you.” This was about member convenience, not impersonal banking tech.
Lobby posters repositioned Greater Alliance’s core processing conversion as a member upgrade for personal convenience, leveraging visuals that tied into the credit union’s helping hands logo.
Building a Tactical Funnel
Working with Josh, Tish and designer Julie Sorensen, I authored a four-month campaign aimed at helping members get comfortable with the upgrade. Each new tactical phase became more specific, narrowing down from basic awareness and FAQs to pre-planning tips and login procedures — all building toward a positive “Upgrade Weekend,” rather than a grim D-Day style deadline.
120 days out: broadcast tactics such as CEO letters, statement inserts, monthly newsletters, website FAQs and lobby posters began announcing the upgrade and its general benefits, while teasing future updates.
60 days out: detailed social media posts, postcards and web ads alerted members to critical dates, while driving them to branch and call center staff equipped with key talking points that I had scripted. At the same time, detailed materials on upgraded services were regularly archived to a dedicated landing page.
Final month: email blasts, social media posts and on-hold phone messages provided quick-response messaging to help members cope with conversion issues. Quick reference cards and designated “Upgrade Team” reps offered a reassuring back-channel in case of emergencies.
Post-conversion: thanking account holders and providing follow-up would be critical in shaping member impressions, so a direct mail letter and newsletter recap by Greater Alliance President and CEO Glenn Guinto were among several tactics used to update members and recognize the work of staffers.
Two months prior to launch, a dedicated Facebook page began providing fast, flexible updates while affirming Greater Alliance’s traditional commitment to great member service.
Buttons worn by Greater Alliance “Upgrade Team” members helped to stimulate branch conversations, backed by scripted talking points.
Converting Uncertainty into Opportunity
Technological change can pose uncertainties for businesses and customers alike, risking criticism and damaged relationships. But Greater Alliance’s proactive campaign prepared members for a smooth conversion, while helping them navigate their way to help resources and workarounds as the new core processing platform went online. Result? Zero negative reviews on social media, and a reaffirmed commitment to the 21st century delivery channels that Greater Alliance needed to retain loyal members.
In the words of Greater Alliance FCU President and CEO Glenn Guinto, “the number of positive comments about our new remote banking services has been very encouraging and rewarding.” | DC |
Follow-up is critical in member communications, so I wrote monthly newsletter updates and website FAQs to keep conversations current. The campaign’s success led to its use as the theme of Greater Alliance’s annual report.