It’s no secret that lending growth drives the credit union industry. With that in mind, it is important to zoom out and look at the bigger lending picture from time to time. When you do, you will discover that some forms of lending are not promoted as regularly as others. As a result, your members could be missing out on lending opportunities. Let’s take a closer look at one form that often gets overlooked. Your credit union should focus on share-secured lending for two main reasons. Don’t Forget About Share-Secured Lending!
Two Member Benefits for Share-Secured Lending
- Share secured lending helps members. That’s right, this is a great way to help members who may not be able to qualify for traditional forms of lending. It’s a nice way to give them a fresh start. Your credit union is able to secure the loan with the members’ savings accounts. It’s a surety of payment for your credit union. Yet, the member sees the loan as an encouraging step of good faith. Share secured lending promotes trust and loyalty between the credit union and the member.
- It is a great stepping stone. Usually, once a member pays off their share secured loan, they qualify for unsecured loan products. These may be the same types of financial products they just paid off, only this time they are able to get a better rate or better terms due to their improved credit history. This is a great confidence boost for members. A boost that would most likely not happen without offering a share secured loan.
Offer Share Secured Lending
Share secured lending can be either offered in installment loans or lines of credit, which are ideal for those members who are perhaps unable to obtain unsecured credit. After a share secured loan is paid off successfully, the next step can very often be to apply for those same products your credit union offer, but unsecured.
Of course, all of this translates back to more lending growth for your credit union. That growth is good for other things too, like member retention and new membership. Loyal members who formerly held share secured loans will love spreading the word, trumpeting to friends and family about how their credit union is the best place to get a clean financial start.
Our consumer lending package will help you deliver those loans with ease. Oak Tree has everything your credit union will need to offer your members a superior lending experience. As always, all of our forms are up to date with all state and federal regulations. As well, all of our forms will easily integrate with your data processor. If you haven’t taken a hard look at share-secured lending before then after the holiday season is the perfect time to do so. Your credit union should really take a look at our consumer lending or home equity lending packages.
