By Jeff Rendell
Since 2012 I haven’t visited a branch. Remote deposit was my gateway, and I’ve handled everything from business accounts to construction loans digitally. Odd twist: my loyalty soared. Digital didn’t replace my relationship; it strengthened it. And yet, as a strategic advisor who lives and breathes the 10XCU approach, I’ll be the first to say: branches still matter. They just matter differently.
The New Job Description Of The Branch
In a 10XCU model, you don’t debate “branch vs. digital.” You weaponize both. Digital is the transaction factory—always-on, seamless, consistent. The branch is now your acquisition engine, establishment space, troubleshooting center, and conversation studio:
- Acquisition: People still convert when they feel trust. A modern branch—high-visibility, high-human—reduces risk for big moments like membership, mortgages, and business banking.
- Establishment: Onboarding should feel concierge-level: fast KYC, quick digital setup, and a strong welcome.
- Troubleshooting: Complex, emotional issues need face-to-face expertise.
- Conversation studio: The branch is the stage for deeper dialogue—life events, expansions, retirement pivots—where advice beats service every time.
A Playbook: Pair Power With Purpose
The 10XCU lens connects strategy → behavior → measurable outcomes. Here’s how:
1) Digital is default
Make digital the easiest, most complete path for everyday banking. Completion rates become a core KPI: account openings finished in one session, digital loan apps done without staff, RDC adoption, wallet provisioning, and bill pay stickiness.
KPI: Digital onboarding completion within 15 minutes.
2) Branch as stage
Re-design space for conversation, not counters. Think smaller footprints with advice pods and video co-browse stations. Route appointments to expertise: business, mortgage, retirement, credit building.
KPI: Advice-to-action conversion within 30 days.
3) One brain, many doors
Members shouldn’t care which door they walked through; it should feel like the same “one brain” answered. Eliminate silos with shared CRM and notes. If a digital chat starts a construction loan, the branch should pick up instantly—or vice versa.
KPI: Cross-channel continuity score.
4) Human precision at scale
Bots and contact centers do the first pass. The magic is precision handoffs—bot → specialist (branch or virtual) with context intact. Measure handoff success and first expert resolution.
KPI: Successful expert handoff rate.
A 10XCU Example In Practice
Picture a campaign called “Life Moves, We Bank Faster.” All roads lead to digital account opening, with ads driving to a quick pre-qual quiz. Members then choose: finish digital or talk it through in branch/virtual.
In digital, guided flows prompt card activation, wallet add, RDC, and savings automation.
In branch, an advisor picks up mid-stream via CRM, completes the open, delivers a financial tune-up, and books a credit wellness review.
You measure lead-to-open rates, activation bundles, first-90-day depth, and 12-month relationship lift.
Result: digital handles the sprint, the branch wins the marathon.
The Loyalty Loop (Why I Never Went Back)
My “branch-free” streak isn’t because I dislike branches. It’s because my credit union made the right thing the easy thing—and stood ready with experts when I had complex needs. That’s the loyalty loop: effortless for the small stuff, expert for the big stuff, continuous across channels. Do that, and members don’t just stay; they deepen relationships.
What To Do Next (In Plain English)
- Declare digital the default—obvious, fast, complete.
- Re-cast branches as conversation studios for advice.
- Connect your brain—one CRM, one memory.
- Track predictive KPIs: completion, continuity, handoffs, advice→action.
- Celebrate both. Build up the branch. Build up digital. Both drive loyalty—together.
Jeff Rendel, CSP and Principal of Rising Above Enterprises, is the architect of 10XCU—a system for credit unions that blends strategy, measurable execution, and member-obsessed design. A former executive and long-time strategic advisor, speaker, and facilitator, Jeff helps leadership teams turn growth ambitions into predictable results across service, technology, talent, finance, and governance. Reach him: jeffrendel.com; jeff@jeffrendel.com; 951.310.7275.