Proven Credit Union Value

Though all of us are still battling through the current tough economic conditions, there is a silver lining to the dark financial storm clouds hanging overhead. It has long been true that hard times have a way of showing RBCU members the true value of their credit union.

In fact, according to a statewide survey commissioned by the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN), 30 percent of Minnesotans find credit unions more appealing considering recent financial industry problems. In the same survey, 82 percent of Minnesotans trust credit unions about the same and 13 percent trust them more, in light of the recent problems in the financial industry. Comparatively, 43 percent trust banks less and 56 percent trust them about the same because of these issues. That makes a lot of sense since the vast majority of the recent economic woes were caused by the bailed-out megabanks. After all, why would you trust banks after they failed their customers and the American taxpayers so spectacularly?

The trust that credit union members feel is clearly evidenced with my favorite statistic from the survey. It showed that credit union members are twice as likely to recommend their credit unions as bank customers are to recommend their banks. From my frequent talks with RBCU members, I know why our members feel this way. Simply put, RBCU membership is the best financial deal going for the nearly 16,000 of us that belong.

It is easy to see how this is true. RBCU is locally based and locally focused. Our reputation for excellent member service is built on over 50 years of friendly and accountable actions. We aren’t too big to treat each and every member like the important neighbors that they are. In addition, RBCU gives back tens of thousands of dollars and dozens of hours of collective volunteer time every year to the schools and communities we serve. Your credit union’s savings and loan rates are always competitive and our fees are usually fewer and lower than our so-called bank peers. In a nutshell, we are looking out for your best interest.

So don’t be shy. Join the other Minnesota credit union members who are recommending their credit unions to their friends and family. Every new member strengthens RBCU and gives our cooperative not-for-profit financial institution more power to help each and every one of you improve the quality of your lives.