A major shift is taking place in the financial services industry. Over the past 10 years, roughly 28 million consumers have chosen to use a credit union as their primary bank. And credit unions like Service Credit Union in New Hampshire continue adding members at a record pace.
“Behind all that growth is the banking public’s desire for personal attention and the need for value,” says Service Credit Union Vice President of Marketing Wendy Beswick.
“As an organization owned by our nearly 294,000 members, our energies are focused on helping members and the communities we serve.”
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How well does Service Credit Union serve its members? “In member satisfaction reviews, we score an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars,” reports Beswick.
Banking Services Your Way
In 2019, Service Credit Union tackled a critical quality-of-life issue that affects the community: inadequate savings. “Nationally, 47 percent of families have $500 or less in liquid savings… not nearly enough to handle common emergencies such as car repair,” explains Beswick. “We streamlined our products to make it easier to save, innovated ways that give members better control of their costs, increased our financial education efforts, and enhanced access to banking services.”
One such program, “Everyday Checking,” is a checking account that allows members to choose from three levels of benefits: Basic, Direct Deposit and Direct Deposit+. As members add more services, they can also enjoy additional discounts on auto, personal and motorcycle loans, and they can qualify for up to $30 in ATM reimbursements.
“Homeownership is one of the most important ways families create financial security,” says Beswick. “That’s why we offer a wide-ranging suite of competitively priced mortgage products, including VA, Jumbo, Mortgage and First Time Buyer.We excel at finding creative ways to serve the specific needs of our members.”
At Service Credit Union, Money Management is Personal
Service Credit Union makes ease of access a priority. In 2019, it partnered with AllPoint, bringing its number of surcharge-free ATMs to 85,000. Members also enjoy modern banking conveniences such as 24/7 online banking and check deposit via phone or tablet.
Anywhere in the world, any time of day, a team of Service Credit Union professionals is available to assist members through 24/7 phone and live chat support. “Modern banking technologies are essential, but we refuse to let technology disrupt us from taking a very high touch approach to service,” says Beswick. “Service, after all, is in our name.”
More than Six Decades of Service
In 1957, Service Credit Union was founded to meet the needs of service men and women at what is now Pease Air Force National Guard Base in New Hampshire. Over the years, the organization extended its charter to include the civilian population. Membership in today’s Service Credit Union is open to families and businesses anywhere in the state or in the Falmouth, Massachusetts region, as well as to active military, DOD employees, veterans and their families.
With more than $3.8B in assets, Service Credit Union is highly ranked as a top performing, healthy credit union. It operates 50 branches throughout its service area, which includes Grand Forks, North Dakota, Falmouth, Massachusetts and 14 branches in U.S. Army and Air Force bases in Germany, in addition to 34 branches in New Hampshire.
Service Credit Union invests heavily in the communities it serves through thousands of volunteer hours with numerous local and national philanthropic efforts, such as the NH Food Bank and Toys for Tots, as well as an annual backpack drive in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of New Hampshire. In response to the government shutdown in 2019, Service Credit Union offered a 0% interest loan and covered pay for affected members. “Our members were hit hard by the shutdown. We were gratified to help them ease the burden,” says Beswick.
This content was provided by Financial Service Directory. Kiplinger is not affiliated with and does not endorse the company or products mentioned above.
