Setting aside any arguments for brick & mortar expansion vs. online/mobile growth – I think we’ll all agree that it’s an exciting time when your credit union is ready to expand. Whether you’re looking to expand to a nearby location in a market you know well, or are rapidly expanding into new markets with which you are less familiar, the question remains, where will you locate the new branch? Investing in a new location is one of the largest financial commitments a credit unio

Anyone can pick a piece of real estate to locate a branch or store. Someone on your team is likely familiar with the area. You may know that there is a new retail center being developed near a busy intersection. A helpful broker will provide a demographic summary of the area immediately around the property and maybe even some traffic counts. It begs the question: What value is there in conducting a market expansion analysis or site selection study? Investing in a new location

My son’s second grade class has been learning about maps and, last week, I had the opportunity to introduce the class to GIS (geographic information system) software. Once I got over the fear of being in front of twenty-two unpredictable kiddos (way more intimidating than a room full of executives!), it was important to find a simple way to explain why visualizing things on a map is so powerful and how it truly helps us make better decisions. I decided the best way to get the

You had a list. You checked it twice. You must be done… shew (wipe of the brow). Now it’s time to sit back and reap the rewards of your branch transformation efforts… Please, No! Don’t stop here! Branch transformation is not a one-time project to check off a priority list. It’s not a piece of equipment, or any one item. It is a long-term commitment to transforming your culture, bringing along both your employees and customers, and adapting to changes as the industry evolves.