Credit unions may have once been considered the mom and pop of the financial institution industry, but those days are long gone. Credit unions operate under similar regulatory standards as banks and experience the same threats in regards to fraud and illegal transactions. Credit unions need to have heightened awareness and modern technology to identify and mitigate fraudulent activity and maintain regulatory compliance.

Members want it all ways. They want best-in-class, personalized and fast service in branch, and they prefer only to come inside the branch if they feel like it. If they are using DIY services, they want them to be user-friendly, intuitive, and efficient. New technology is flowing out all around us in everything we do, and it's reinventing the way we interact with the world and each other. If your credit union can't provide the services your members want today and tomorrow, they can find one that will with a few clicks of their smartphone. Don't let your core be the reason you can't keep up with the pace of innovation.

Credit cards are a lucrative industry, and with nearly 40 billion credit card transactions in the US last year, the trend is not expected to stop. Even with economists predicting an overdue economic downturn, volume is still projected to remain high.  A credit card program is a great way to keep members engaged with your products and services, and a rewards program can certainly boost its popularity. You may have cards issued and people using the program, but is the program benefiting both the member and the CU? Here are five best practices for every credit card program in a credit union to help ensure it is running well while offering benefits for members and the CU as a whole:

Mobile Banking is expected to hit 3 billion users by 2021. For members, this increases convenience and efficiency. For credit unions, a larger amount of market share is available to gain a younger generation of members and to serve the under-banked. For hackers, the opportunities to steal confidential financial information are abundant! Hackers are targeting mobile phones and banking apps using malware and phishing schemes, and while security measures on smartphones are becoming more and more sophisticated, the criminals are relentless. Here are 10 reminders for members (and you) to help protect their data when using mobile banking apps:

Do you really want to hurt me? If you ignore your company culture, it's going bring some very bad karma (chameleon) on your CU. I'll tumble for you to get you to pay attention to how critical building and promoting your company culture is. I've tapped out on my Culture Club references, but just getting started on the importance of developing an actual culture. It's impact is global within an organization if executed well. It's largest impact can be seen in staffing, and in particular in the new hire process. 

At its core, "thanksgiving" is an expression of gratitude. For most, the holiday is marked by bountiful dinners and time to gather as family. But it is also a time that many have chosen to give back to their community and to those less fortunate. Individuals may choose to run a charitable turkey trot, families may donate to a soup kitchen or perhaps even serve Thanksgiving meals at local shelters. For businesses, it is a time to work together as a team to encourage employees to give back. Credit unions have long been a pillar in the industry for their community outreach programs. So much so that members have identified their CU's charitable giving and community involvement as a key factor in member satisfaction.

We've all heard that recycling is good for our planet, and we understand the importance in conserving resources, which is one driving factor for credit unions to go paperless. Regardless of where you stand on "going green",  the bigger driver behind the paperless movement is money.  Green is the new gold. eStatements is a way to save time and money for both you and your members. Offering digital alternatives to paper bills makes your credit union more efficient, and when it comes to electronic statements, being paperless saves on the cost of paper, printing, and mailing. 

As we inch closer towards the holiday shopping season, many consumers are trying to set budgets and keep their impulse buying habits in check. After all, the average U.S. consumer spends $5,400 each year on impulse buys, according to a survey reported by CNBC. When it comes to your role as a credit union executive, answering to a board with a set annual budget, there is no room to bring your impulse buying habits to work with you. Choosing a vendor is no small task for any organization, in just about any facet of operations. Whether you are looking for a new paper supplier or contemplating a credit union core conversion, before you sign that new contract, you will find it beneficial and cost effective to step back for a moment to give your options some thought. The extra time you spend at the beginning can make a huge difference in the long run. Before you just renew, evaluate how happy you are in your relationship with your vendor and their service. Think long-term in order to ensure you’re making the smartest and most informed decision for your credit union’s needs.

Credit unions have an important role in the community in which they reside, and their identity is often associated with a certain organization, entity or field of employment that has a recognizable presence. Organizations such as the city’s fire fighters or police department, an educators’ credit union or a trade credit union that represents one of the city’s largest employers, like the local steel workers. Sometimes the city itself has its own credit union open to its residents. Along with proudly displaying the name of these organizations on their brick exterior comes an equally visible presence and responsibility to support that community. It goes even beyond the Credit Union Difference, which places importance on personalized member service; a great credit union also has its ear to the ground in order to support the community as a whole through philanthropy and community service.

AT&T's new commercial series is a humorous take on the saying "Just OK is not OK." From the boy bands that don't dance declared as "Just OK," to the tattoo artist who eases the nerve of his client by assuring him he will deliver an "OK tattoo."  Every credit union wants to know how they’re doing and looks for ways to measure their success, and just OK is not OK. Are their members happy? Are they satisfied? Would they refer others to come in and bank there? They'd also like to know if there are services that are missing that a member would like to have, and what can be done to provide the ultimate experience. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is one way to get an idea of how your credit union ranks with your members. It is a scoring system that takes members' responses and organizes them into 3 scoring ranges and provides a snapshot of where most of your members rank your credit union.