By Jim Jerving
Many credit unions have been trying to establish a sales and service culture, but developing an environment that puts members’ needs first in every interaction can be an elusive goal.
“Changing organizational culture is like trying to change the course of a river,” Michael Neill, CSE, president of CUES strategic provider Michael Neill and Associates, Atlanta, and its credit union sales and service consultation-based program, Servistar. “It can be done, but it takes planning and design. Nobody thinks they can build their own house. Those that do swear they will never do it again. That’s why you hire an architect and a builder—to keep you from making mistakes that cost valuable time and money.”
Some executives try to change their organization’s culture in purchasing the latest technology—like member relationship management software. But this can be akin to buying an expensive car with explosive horsepower, while the driver may lack the skills to drive the new vehicle, Neill says.
Employees watch how others behave in an organization. “Over a period of time, it is not what you say but what you do” that people notice, says Neill. “Organizational culture is always about how people behave.”
As part of Neill’s consultative approach to sales and service, employees are trained in (and then coached by credit union leaders about) what behaviors they must demonstrate if they are to successfully develop long-term relationships with members.
Performance coaching is critical to this approach as employees may be unfamiliar or resistant to the consultative process.
“Selling is something that many employees haven’t done before,” says Neill. “A good coach knows that comfort and success isn’t necessarily the same thing. The team that fails to practice rigorously may lose every game but no one is uncomfortable. You have to understand that employees will have concerns about doing something new, this is natural.” Effective coaches help employees work through their discomfort so that they can become comfortable, Neill notes.
Jim Jerving is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to credit union industry publications.
Mike Neill will present the free CUES Webinar "Coaching Equals Culture Change" at 1 p.m. Central time on Nov. 10. Learn more and register.
Get more information about ServiStar or Michael Neill and Associates.
