We’re dealing with “big boy” issues of ACH or fee accrual … there’s no glitter, no crayons, no poster board involved.
Should someone from Marketing be in your operational meetings?

One Question: Do the decisions in that meeting affect your customers’ (or members’) experience with you?

If the answer is “yes,” invite Marketing.

Marketing’s role (aside from art and crafts, of course) is to be the voice of the customer. They are trained to look at the world through the customer’s eyes. To speak their language. To be empathetic.

Most other managers, Operations, Accounting, IT, are trained to see things only from the bank or credit union perspective.

Where an operations-focused manager would say, “Well, all the customer has to do is…”

A Marketer might say, “If this happened to your mom or brother – anyone NOT in banking – how would we want them treated?”

Is it “touchy-feely?” Hell yes, it is!!!  But you need that perspective in your internal meetings.

When it comes to customer communications, any good Marketer will tell you:

  • Tell customers about bad news BEFORE they experience it, whenever possible.
  • Don’t rely on the customer to take action. This is not as important to them as it is to us.
  • If the customer must act, try to do most of it for them. Make it easy.
  • Don’t go starting fires. Only communicate with customers that might be affected.
  • Detail to all staff not only the “why” or “how” of an issue, tell them EXACTLY what you want them to tell the customer. How will we fix it?
  • Whenever possible, don’t rely on one form of communication. EVERY Marketer will tell you, just because you take time to write something doesn’t mean anyone will take time to read it!!!

Trust me, invite Marketing to operational meetings. You may have a little glitter to clean up afterwards, but it’ll be worth it!!!

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