About CU SoCal

Credit Union of Southern California (CU SoCal) is a leading financial institution empowering those who live, work, worship, or attend school in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County to reach their goals and build strong financial futures. CU SoCal provides access to convenient money management services and offers competitive rates and flexible terms on auto loans, mortgages, and Visa® credit cards—turning wishing and waiting into achieving and doing. With 5,470 shared branches and 30,000 free ATMs—more than almost any major bank—they exist to help members achieve their financial dreams through accessible, exceptional member experiences.


SUCCESS SNAPSHOT

 

5,048

Appointments booked in 2022

17,403

Walk-ins tracked in 2021

38%

Average decrease in appointment length

12%

Increase in funded loan applications


The Goal:

Turn Walk-Ins Into High-Value Appointments

In March 2021, the team at CU SoCal didn’t have a reliable system to book or track walk-ins, phone calls, and appointments. Their booking process took too long and members often canceled at the last minute or didn’t show up at all. “We knew we could do better,” says Aaron Young, SVP of Branch Operations and Retail Banking. 

Aaron also noticed the same members waiting in-person for multiple services over and over again. He wanted to offer them a more convenient way to book time with advisors and have those high-value conversations faster. 

Similarly, CU SoCal wanted to ensure members were prepared for appointments. “When they show up missing documentation like pay stubs, it means they have to come back for another meeting. That’s not a great experience and we don’t want our appointments to be inconvenient for members,” says Aaron. As a result of hiccups like this, when they met with members on high-value services like loans, they had a 48% close rate.
 
CU SoCal was looking for one place to connect its communications channels—one platform for self-serve bookings, automated reminders, and features to support a seamless customer journey. They chose to launch an appointment scheduling solution that would give their customers a convenient self-service option for scheduling meetings and improve their experience.

“For the folks who are coming in multiple times over the past six months, we tell them, ‘Hey, next time you need to talk, book it as an appointment—it’ll help us improve your experience and save you valuable time.”

Aaron Young

SVP of Branch Operations and Retail Banking, Credit Union of Southern California

Aaron-Young-CUSoCal - circle

The Solution:

Centering Self-Serve Appointments in Their Digital Banking Strategy

CU SoCal chose Coconut Software’s Appointment Scheduling and Queue Management platform for the following reasons:

  • Connected channels. The platform lets them drive all appointment traffic to one place. “Our website is the key and Coconut allowed us to position appointments so we got the most out of everything. Whether it’s Reserve with Google, our call center, or walk-ins, they’re all working together to increase our high-value appointments,” says Aaron. 
  • Better processes, better appointments. By launching Coconut, CU SoCal could understand exactly what a customer wanted before they came in. Each advisor and member was better prepared for appointments—thanks to automated email or text reminders—leading to more efficient appointments, better client experiences, and increased close rates. “When there are fewer no’s and less confusion, the quality of appointments goes up,” says Aaron.  
  • Best-in-class support. Coconut worked with CU SoCal to implement the software quickly and integrate with their existing systems. “The best part of working with Coconut is they actually listen to our individual needs and feedback. They take our suggestions for the platform and actually implement them,” says Aaron.
Website - Content - Graphics

“To prospective members, your website really is the key to everything. That’s where they determine what you offer and who to talk to. Your appointment success is all in how you position it there, and how you connect it to your other communication channels.”

Aaron Young

SVP of Branch Operations and Retail Banking, Credit Union of Southern California

Aaron-Young-CUSoCal - circle

The Results:

Quality Appointments, Increased Loan Growth, and Simplified Communications

  • Funded 12% more loan applications. The team at the CU SoCal finds that if someone walks into the branch for a loan, there’s a 48% chance they’ll follow through and apply for a loan. But if they book an appointment, they come prepared, and the odds of those loans being funded rise by 12%. “That gets me excited,” says Aaron. “It makes me wonder, ‘How do I get more people to use appointments?’”
  • Better client experiences. Appointments allow CU SoCal to create a seamless customer experience—from the convenience of booking from any channel to receiving relevant reminders and options for meeting types. “This process creates peace of mind for members. We’re able to offer more choice to our members, and that leads them to choose us,” says Aaron. 
  • Connected communications channels. Now with appointment and queuing software, clients don’t have to call or walk in to get their questions answered. Instead, they can book appointments from the website, Google, in-person, or by phone. “That’s the key. Whether they’re chatting with our virtual assistant on our website or with a person in our call center, they can easily book an appointment,” Aaron explains. 
  • Turned walk-ins into high-value appointments. The CU SoCal team has seen the impact of appointments on loan growth and client experience. That’s why when someone walks in, the frontline staff offer them the opportunity to book an in-person or virtual appointment through Coconut, right on the spot. Now, members who used to exclusively visit in-person are using the self-serve appointment tools. Plus, new members derive value from a seamless experience—whether they’re online or offline. 

“We’re increasingly moving walk-ins to high-value appointments and building that behavior because we know appointments convert. Walk-ins are the organic engine that feeds our appointments.”

Aaron Young

SVP of Branch Operations and Retail Banking, Credit Union of Southern California