The branch of the future

A whitepaper discussing the future of credit union branches has been published by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS). The paper was authored by a team of third-year students in the SE CUNA Management School program comprised of Tobisha Bullock, CAANO Employees Federal Credit Union (New Orleans, LA); Kaitlin Grooms, Greenville Federal Credit Union (Greenville, SC); Alison Lynd, Coastal Credit Union (Biloxi, MS); Melanie Riedl, University of Louisiana Federal Credit Union (Lafayette, LA); and Andrew Starcher, SRP Federal Credit Union (North Augusta, SC). Completion of the written project and an oral presentation of the research report is a prerequisite for graduation from the program. This team of students received recognition at the 2016 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies last month for exceptional work on their whitepaper.

Many credit unions are in the process of evaluating their current branch model and determining if a change is needed and what their course of action will be to ensure their viability long term. What will the credit union branch of the future look like? In this report, “The Branch of the Future,” authors explore popular new branch model concepts and ideas that financial institutions are implementing, including removing the teller line barrier, exploring video teller technology, employing a universal teller, and marketing to the millennial generation.

Growing organizations are quickly arriving at a crossroad where they need to make a decision soon. They need to determine if they want to continue to put resources towards their current branch model and culture or decide to implement updated solutions to attract more memberships, retain existing members, and deepen relationships all the while tightening efficiencies.

As team member Kaitlyn Grooms explains, “Determining how your credit union will survive in the future is critical to the success of your organization. Time is ticking. It is too late to think that the old branch model that has been around for a century designed before computers and the internet will continue to work for your organization.”

To access a complimentary copy of the white paper, please visit www.srcus.org/management-school/student-white-papers/.