The changing face of tellers

There has been much discussion recently on the changing of credit union branches due to technology. How does the current labor force, specifically tellers, adapt to the increase in available technology through credit unions and their branches? What is the balance needed between personal, human interaction type service to our members and do-it-yourself technology that credit union members and potential customers have grown to expect and sometimes prefer?

A whitepaper discussing these questions and more 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 Maureen Bock – Georgia Credit Union Affiliates (GA), Blair Boyer – Georgia’s Own Credit Union (GA), Shannon Duran – Guardians Credit Union (FL), and Mendy Salvey – Freedom First Federal Credit Union (VA). 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 2017 SE CUNA Management School graduation ceremonies last month for their exceptional work on the research paper.

In the report, “The Changing Face of Tellers”, the authors explore how best to find the “tech versus touch” balance by examining current research and trends in technology and innovation, credit union employees’ skill set necessary for technology adoption, the effect technology makes to the traditional physical branch model, and member engagement and adaptation to technology solutions. Recognizing that tech and touch are not mutually exclusive, but rather a spectrum, each credit union will come to a different conclusion about the “right” balance for their organization and their membership. This paper is an excellent resource for credit unions as they determine the balance that is right for success and develop a plan to move forward.

“Finding that perfect balance is a challenging venture all credit unions face, no matter their size. But, it is also an absolute necessary venture in order to ensure the ongoing survival of credit unions. All credit unions should be researching different technology options and discussing implementation goals as part of their strategic planning,” explained team member and co-author Shannon Duran, Executive Vice President, Guardians Credit Union.

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