By Kristie Wimmer
Leaders of the Wisconsin Council of CUES wanted the group's fall meeting to be a "passport to innovation." Check out this video about their work and the resulting meeting ... and/or read the blog post below the video frame.
So to start things off in the vein of a "passport to innovation," Wisconsin Council leaders brought in an expert speaker from outside the credit union movement, Steve Tyink, VP/innovation with Miron Construction, a general contractor based in Madison, Wis.
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| Attendees of the fall meeting of the Wisconsin Council of CUES enjoyed a session on innovation--and an innovative meeting style, which included a field trip. |
Tyink described the tools used and barriers faced by his company in designing a building for $65 million Best Advantage Credit Union, Brillion, Wis.
Some of the tools used included a "napkin drawing"; visiting other buildings (CU and non-CU buildings) to see what would work and what wouldn't; and asking members what they wanted, what would make them feel at home.
The building is truly special because everything about it was created by the members and staff, and designed to fit the CU's culture. They even have red parking lot lines just to match their company colors and to be different.
Tyink also encouraged attendees to check out how other successful companies, such at Apple, Ritz-Calton and Target, set themselves apart from their competitors. He encouraged the participants to ask themselves questions like, "How do they get customers waiting outside their doors?" and "How can credit unions shape their environments to create that relationship with their members?"
“If I can relate to your credit union on an emotional level, you get my business,” he said.
After Tyink's session on innovation, attendees participated in an innovative meeting session: a field trip to Citizens First Credit Union in Oshkosh, Wis. There they explored ways that $366 million CU stands above its competitors. One of the coolest features at Citizens First CU, was its “lending living rooms." These were essentially small apartments in the main branch with a front door, address, and front porch light!
Inside, the lending living rooms have a small kitchen stocked with beverages, a living room with couches, TV and a small dining room table. The room is used for members interested in mortgages, loans, and anything else that being comfy and having a chat helps to facilitiate. (You can see a picture of another CU's lending living room on p. 47 of the November issue of Credit Union Management magazine.)
Now all the attendees of this meeting definitely have a stamp in their "passports for innovation!"
Kristie Wimmer is CUES' member relations and council coordinator.
Learn more about CUES Councils and find out about a meeting near you.
