By Jim Jerving
The two most profitable grocery stores per square foot in the United States are Wegman’s, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and Publix, headquartered in Florida. Both are family-owned, and are known for their personal service and need-based selling. There is no option in either store to bag your own groceries and employees don’t accept tips. 
After entering the store, you are greeted and asked if you need help. If you are looking for a particular type of bread, for instance, an employee at either store will take you to the bread aisle to show you what they have and provide recommendations on popular choices.
Like shopping at either store, the “shopping” experience at your credit union should be educational, informational, pleasant and simple, according to Michael Neill, CSE, president of CUES strategic provider Michael Neill and Associates, Atlanta, and its credit union sales and service consultation-based program, Servistar.
“You can’t develop a relationship with a video kiosk; you develop a relationship with a person,” says Neill. “Every single touch point should say, ‘I care about you and I’m committed to improving your financial life.’”
CU employees may be new to sales, but all have been exposed to sales staff as customers. Neill teaches front-line employees about sales and service by having them mystery shop other credit unions as well as banks. This experience provides a first-hand view of the frustrations that their members face.
By mystery shopping, employees begin to understand that their own behaviors may sometimes resemble those of service employees at the credit union or bank across town—the very ones they found “difficult to work with.” The experience may make them more open to learning better service skills.
“Getting employees to shop the competition forces them to look in the mirror,” he says. “We have high expectations for those who deliver service to us, but we are more gracious to ourselves. Employees say of their mystery shopping trips, ‘I can’t believe how they treated us.’ We don’t behave this way, they say; but after a conversation about these behaviors, they begin to realize they exhibit some of the same, negative behaviors. It can be pretty life-changing.”
Jim Jerving is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to credit union industry publications.
Mike Neill will be speaking at CUES CEO/Executive Team Network slated for Nov. 6-9 in Las Vegas. Learn more and register.
Get more information about ServiStar or MNA Consulting.
