4 of My Favorite Things About Joining the Credit Union

When I joined the credit union in October – as an employee and a member – I’m not sure how well I could detail the differences between a megabank and the credit union.  Yet after just a few days, I began to understand, experience, and appreciate the credit union difference. Here are just a few of the ways the credit union has improved my life in just three short months:

Member Service

One of the most impressive differences between walking into the credit union lobby vs. a bank lobby is the member service. At the credit union, “member service” is not a term that’s used lightly. From the friendly tellers to our CEO, every employee works exceptionally hard to provide the highest level of quality service.   

Motives

I love being part of an organization that works simply to serve its members. As a not-for-profit institution, instead of issuing stock or paying dividends to stockholders, earnings get returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, higher interest on deposits and lower fees.

The CO-OP

While big banks advertise the convenience of their ATM locations, the credit union offers a better solution:  the credit union CO-OP network.  Members benefit with more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. I can say that CO-OP has definitely made my life more convenient. Before joining the credit union, the megabank I used provided just 2 ATMS within 2 miles of my apartment. Now I have 3 CO-OP ATMs within 1 mile of my apartment. I'd say that's an upgrade.

Technology

One of the biggest objections (or misconceptions) I have heard about credit unions is that they are lagging in terms of technology. This is simply just not that case. Here you’ll find awesome convenience services such as Apple Pay, Online Access and eDeposit.

Why go anywhere else?  What is your favorite aspect of being a member of the credit union? Tell us in the comments!