Going remote not without its own surprises For members without access to those resources, the drive thrus will remain open, not just for typical transactions, but also to sign loan forms. Thanks to having already implemented a variety of digital solutions, including e-sign, mobile remote deposit capture, and online account application and opening, transitioning to a mostly online service practice has been made easier. “We have a long drive, and I would say 30 or more cars could fit back to back in our drive going to the drive thru lanes, and it was out on Hoffman Lane on April 3rd because that was Social Security day.”
The demand for drive-thru service was so great that the credit union had to make the decision not to accommodate shared-branching visitors. Making the decision to switch to drive-thru immediately was not a hard one, because I don’t think they would have stopped coming today if we had allowed those lobbies to be open,” Dean said, adding that members often show up as a social visit, rather than just as a necessity. “Our members typically line up almost out the door, all day long. The credit union closed its two branch lobbies on March 16, opting to switch to drive-up service only. Adapting to a social distancing new normĪlthough Iowa remains one of the few remaining states without an official “shelter-in-place” order, that did not stop Affinity from acting early to adhere to social distancing recommendations.
They even waived early withdrawal penalties on certificates for members that may need to free up funds. The credit union also made the decision to waive overdraft, NSF, and late payment fees until the end of April, at which point they will see what progress has been made and decide whether to extend those waivers. Several chronically delinquent borrowers made themselves current in order to qualify for the two-month skip pay offering. The results have been extremely positive, even resulting in some unexpected outcomes. Or if we’re going to help some, but not all,” said Dean. “What we did was to essentially layout from the beginning of this crisis exactly what we’re going to do for our members, so that there would be no doubt or wonderment as to whether we’re going to help them or not. When asked how he decided to approach the task, Dean cited that while others may be going case-by-case, he felt an open, transparent, and upfront approach would be the best way to reach members, even going so far as to write an open letter to members, available from the front page of their website. Although the credit union had already implemented some measures to alleviate financial setbacks, Dean and his team set forth to find further means of assisting members.