Tag Archive for strategy

Five Ways to Make a Credit Score Model Work for You

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Guest post written by Barrett Burns, President and CEO, VantageScore Solutions, LLC.

VantageScore Solutions, LLC is the NAFCU Services Preferred Partner for Credit Scoring.

Times have changed since a promise and handshake were all you needed to get a loan. Now credit scores speak to your character. Most credit unions primarily rely on credit scores to help make consumer lending decisions. Credit scoring models incorporate credit scores with other characteristics related to creditworthiness. In today’s market, there are dozens of different credit scoring models available, from generic models such as the VantageScore 3.0 model, to customized models that are generally expensive to build and maintain.

Even so, it’s a common misconception to think of credit scores as a commodity, or a “one-size-fits-all” risk management tool.  A credit score is the numerical representation of the likelihood that a consumer within a specific population will become 90 days or more past due on a debt obligation in a two-year timeframe. It’s important to remember that this propensity to default is assessed within the context of the population being scored. The most effective credit scoring models incorporate other relevant information, such as current economic factors, over a greater population. Choosing the right model for your credit union can help you in ways you might not expect, from saving time and expense to improving accuracy and applicant pools.

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National Financial Literacy Month is a Chance to Start Good Habits

national-financial-literacy-month-is-a-chance-to-start-good-habits

Originally posted on CUInsight.com.

This article references a study done by Discover, the NAFCU Services Preferred Partner for Debit Card Programs and Debit Networks.

It’s no coincidence that National Financial Literacy Month falls in April, the height of tax season. It seems like there are some teachable moments to be found while scrutinizing every financial decision of the past year. Tax preparation reminds me of holiday get-togethers where the family examines every bad idea everyone has ever had. But doing your taxes shouldn’t be like judgment day at the Santos dinner table. By developing good financial habits, especially at a younger age, managing your money can be a breeze.

National Financial Literacy Month is recognized as an opportunity to promote good financial habits through savings, smart purchases, and long-term personal financial planning to meet one’s life goals. Sound familiar? This is what credit unions do every day, of every month. Credit unions have a long history of helping their members make effective financial choices by offering better service, low fees, and financial education. Tools such as CULookup.com, NAFCU Services’ credit union locator website, offer personal finance calculators covering topics such as home buying, saving, borrowing, retirement and auto financing (also available free of charge for NAFCU Members to use on their websites). The site also includes links to personal financial education resources.

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Great Strategy and Great Wine

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Originally posted on CUInsight.com

No, this is not a post about how strategic discussions can be improved with fine wine, although that is probably true, and it would be fun to test the hypothesis. This post is about the best of both worlds, and combining a vocation with an avocation.

I love my job, which often involves thinking strategically on behalf of credit unions and with our Partners, and have also become a fan of wine, in particular California Cabernet. My chance to blend the two and share with all of you as well is coming at the NAFCU CEOs and Senior Executives Conference (Sonoma, CA, April 24–26, 2013).

NAFCU Services sponsors a welcome reception every year at this Conference. Given that we are in wine country, we wanted to do something special that would be a more interactive and interesting experience than just having house wines for a “typical” reception. We’ve all been to plenty of them, where you grab an anonymous glass of non-descript wine and look for the next hors d’oeuvres tray.

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Individually Focused IRA Marketing

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Originally posted on CUInsight.com

Guest post written by Dennis Zuehlke, Compliance Manager, Ascensus

The April 15 tax filing and IRA contribution deadline is only one month away. Much of the marketing focus this year is on the higher IRA contribution limits. For 2013, the IRA contribution limit is $5,500, up from the previous $5,000 limit.

This is good news for baby boomers socking away money for retirement, but for young millennials just starting out, making a $5,500 IRA contribution may be out of reach, and such a marketing campaign may appear out of touch. Targeting the right message to the right audience is key. Remember, the “I” in IRA stands for individual. IRA marketing efforts focused on the individual—based on their generational demographic—will benefit both your members and your credit union.

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Examine Your Mobile Strategy for 2013

Originally posted on CUInsight.com

Guest post written by David Hilger, SVP Information Technology, Allied Solutions

Articles about mobile banking are popping up everywhere – from the Wall Street Journal to American Banker, in local papers, and on technology and finance blogs. Think more broadly – don’t ask yourself whether or not you have mobile banking. Consider where you’d like your mobile strategy to take you.

What are your members asking for?

There are, perhaps, many things you are hoping to offer your members: mobile banking that allows them to check their balance or transfer funds; remote deposit capture; ATM or branch locations or mapping; straightforward “contact us” options or maybe a more robust self service capability. People appreciate these tools, and are increasingly likely to expect such offerings from their bank or credit union and often consider these when selecting their financial institution.

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