The loan-to-share ratio can be deceiving. It’s calculated by dividing the total amount of outstanding loans by the total amount of share deposits. While this ratio serves as a good indication of a credit unions liquidity, it also shows the level of risk a credit union is willing to take on. Generally speaking, credit unions with a high loan to share ratio are taking on more risk to increase their profits. At the end of Q2 this year, the national loan-to-share ratio reached an all-time high since 2008. On December 31, 2008, it was 83.2% but continued to decline from that point on until it bottomed out in 2013. Since then, the loan-to-share ration has been climbing, and 10 years later it’s finally back up to 82.9% as of June 30, 2018. While things are looking up for the nation as a whole, the loan-to-share ratios actually differ by state, with a few standouts:

Any business in the modern era needs a website. People turn to the internet to find the products and services they need and those who don’t have a website lose out on significant opportunities. However, just having a website isn’t enough. Outdated sites not supported on mobile devices, or those that load slowly will deter members, not to mention lower your credit union's rank in the all-important eyes of Google. Studies have shown that if a user’s attention isn’t captured within 7 seconds, they will leave the website. Thus, the first impression is critical. For credit unions, there are some specific considerations when building or redesigning a website and must-have features to include:

It’s easy to forget about your credit score until you need it. When it comes time for a loan or credit card application, you don’t want to be surprised with a rejection because you didn’t know that your credit score has gone down since the last time you checked. Most people do not check their credit scores regularly, if at all. Some are deterred by the misconception that checking will ding them some points. There are several reasons why everyone can benefit from checking their credit score. Here’s why your credit union should encourage members to check theirs.

To date, credit unions have been faced with the choice of providing credit card processing in-house or outsourcing. Historically, only big credit unions ran in-house credit card processing. Smaller CUs shied away from credit card processing due to a variety of factors: It was expensive to do so in-house, and outsourcing was often difficult to integrate with the core. Furthermore, the rewards programs were not up to par with those of banks and larger FIs, which made them less desirable to members. Now, with increases in integration capabilities and decreases in cost, credit unions of all sizes are incorporating integrated processing capabilities. Here’s why credit unions big and small have opted for integrated credit card processing.

Many credit unions have the best of intentions to create and launch amazing marketing campaigns, but when things get busy throughout the year, marketing is oftentimes the first thing to fade into the background. Now that 2019 is almost here, it’s time to start planning for next year’s marketing initiatives. If your credit union finds that marketing gets pushed off to the side each year, it may be more effective to commit to a few key elements rather than creating an exhaustive plan that will be difficult to manage. Here are 3 key items that will give your credit union the most bang for its buck next year.

The process of switching financial institutions tends to be scary for members. Realizing your billing information is out of date can haunt a member, and getting hit with several months worth of delinquent bills is a fright. In the case of recurring payments, there will come a time when billing information needs to be updated, and unfortunately, updating it can be a nightmare. This may shock members because the whole reason they chose a recurring payment method is for convenience, and ironically, updates are anything but. If a credit union wants to be a member's primary financial institution, which most if not all do, updates to the recurring payment process should be easy. Here are some things to consider about recurring payments to avoid spooking your members.

In industries across the United States and around the globe, Q4 is well underway and the New Year is in sight. While many are busy planning for 2019, credit unions might need to widen their scope. If you are considering an upgrade to a new core platform, planning is key. Core conversions can be time consuming and stressful for any financial institution if not well thought out and prepared for. To ease the burden on your credit union, start planning more than a year in advance. That may sound like overkill but there are several reasons why this extended planning period will benefit your credit union in the end. Here is a timeline and items to consider if you are pondering a core conversion.

Providing employees with fair compensation and opportunities to grow will only take your credit union so far. While competitive wages are one way to help retain employees, ultimately that’s not what will keep them happy. The day-to-day environment within your credit union and their relationships with management are the areas that can make or break the Member Service Representative (MSR) experience. MSRs are the glue in a credit union. They have the closest relationship with members and work to meet their needs each and every day. If MSRs are unhappy, it weakens their ability to serve members and should they continue to be dissatisfied, your credit union won’t be able to retain them. Here’s how you can keep your MSRs from quitting. 

Last Thursday marked the 7th International Day of the Girl. Not just a trending hashtag, or a reason to post pics on your Instagram and Facebook pages, October 11th is an international observance day declared by the United Nations in 2012 to increase awareness of gender inequality. The celebration of the day also reflects the successful emergence of girls and young women in societies around the world in equal and influential roles, with an understanding that we still have a long way to go. It is a day used by many philanthropists to promote their causes, such as the Global Girls Alliance initiative which announced last week to support over 98 million adolescent girls globally who are no longer sent to school. Leading by example is the best form of leadership and credit unions can continue to be proud of the example they set for girls, with women excelling in leadership in the industry.

There are many ways credit unions can choose to operate their lending process, however, not all methods are created equal. A centralized lending strategy can provide a clear and concise plan for lending that eliminates problems associated with other methods. With other lending practices, there are opportunities for error, not to mention the additional cost that stems from inefficiencies and training. Centralized lending helps to diminish these issues while maximizing employee skills as well as their time. Here are six reasons why centralized lending is the best route for credit unions.