Until they reached the 7th grade, my wife and I had nearly mastered the task of getting our five kids to sleep before 8pm. The most powerful tool in our arsenal for this was the never-ending bed-time story. Like a marketing wizard, I would begin my story with a catchy image, and then lead their willing and tired minds from one captivating situation to the next, until they drifted off to sleep. The content of the story was essential to its success. It had to feel genuine and engaging.

Credit unions captivate their members through technology. Mobile banking, in particular, is the best tool that they have to provide that intimate and engaging experience. Unfortunately, too many credit unions don’t understand this. They construct mobile solutions from fragments of third party solutions, as though they were pasting together a gossip column instead of thoughtfully constructing the next best seller.

In mobile lending, the story line is especially important. Does your mobile lending process start with a catchy line, but fail to keep the member engaged? Does it roll out the welcome mat, and then link your member off to something impersonal or unfamiliar? When the member walks through that login door, does your system know them personally and treat them like family? Personalized mobile lending technology is essential. To achieve it, mobile lending solutions need direct access to the back end, so they can leverage information that the member expects you should already know about them. Mobile loan workflows should be part of the broader mobile banking experience, built right into your mobile application, and not just a side story.

In your mobile lending strategy, don’t shoot for the bargain shelf. Invest in integrated technology to ensure that your mobile banking loan applications all arrive at that happy ending. I invite you to read one of our credit union client's mobile lending stories.