Journey mapping is a way to visualize or understand a person’s path from Point A to Point B. It has become an important tool in tracking consumer experience for many use cases…
UX on apps and websites, shopping for new products and services, or onboarding a new member, for example.
Credit union journey mapping is inherently complex. Each member has their own needs and goals, and each takes their own path. Here’s what journey mapping might look like—and how to get started!
Why Journey Mapping for Credit Unions Is Tricky
Every credit union member is a little bit different. That’s normal for all consumers, but here’s the catch:
Every credit union is different, too.
Serving different populations and demographics means that what works for Credit Union A might not work for Credit Union B. Each credit union offers a slightly different member journey. Each membership navigates that journey differently. You get the point.
The point is, to create your credit union’s journey map, you’ll need to start (almost) from scratch.
We recommend tracking major member milestones:
- Onboarding / account opening
- Check depositing / direct deposit setup
- Branch visits / drive through transactions
- Online / mobile banking
- Credit card / loan applications
Other milestones may include membership anniversaries, major birthdays, or anything else you track.
Think about the path each of your members is on. How did they find you? What are their needs or concerns? How can you help? What will they need next?
Understanding Each Member’s Journey
It would be impossible to understand each member’s journey all at once. Tracking them all is the goal, but that shouldn’t be your goal at the outset.
Instead, think of how you can accommodate different types of members through different journeys.
For example, you might start with members who open a checking account with you. Then, monitor how they move from product to product, service to service. As they dig deeper into what your credit union can provide, make sure you touch base with them to see where you can help—and where you might be falling short.
After you’ve set up journey mapping for your traditional members, look at how others find you:
- Auto loans (direct, maybe indirect)
- Mortgage or renovation
- Small business account or lending
What attracts them to you? What are they looking for at each step? Are there product suites or services that would help them on their journey? How do you introduce them to everything you can do?
Getting Started
Again, if your credit union journey mapping is just getting started, don’t try to do everything at once. Instead, choose one area and focus on that. New checking accounts might be a good start, or perhaps second chance checking, if you offer it.
Then, look into what the typical or recommended path is from there. Certainly, you’ll want to make sure new members can:
- Access online and mobile banking
- Sign up for eStatements and eNotices
- Get a debit (or credit) card
- Start a savings account
- Explore your other options
How can you help new members move from Point A to Point B? How can you make their journey easier? You definitely don’t want to ignore them and hope they discover everything for themselves!
Finally, consider using tools to check in with your members. Even after you’ve developed a full journey map for them, you won’t know if it’s the best map for them. You also might not know if the path you’ve outline for them is optimal… or working correctly!
We recommend member surveys. Nothing else comes close to telling you how your members feel about your credit union.
Next Steps for Credit Unions
Want to see how your credit union can start journey mapping today? We’re happy to chat with member experience professionals about the best way to connect with your members.
LiveSurvey is a real-time, credit union-specific survey platform that delivers member surveys within minutes of any transaction. Then, it compiles feedback in real time in an automated visual dashboard.
It’s not necessary for credit union journey mapping, but we’d be lying if we said it didn’t help!
