Michael Wolsten, Owner/Executive Coach, Michael Wolsten Consulting
A member complaint rarely reveals just one problem. Sometimes it exposes a blind spot in how a credit union serves its members.
One conversation at a teller line ended up revealing a $3,000 mistake. Not because the credit union keyed a transaction wrong, but because they never had the conversation that could have helped.
A member walked up to the teller line one afternoon and immediately asked to speak with a manager.
She was upset.
Not slightly frustrated. Genuinely upset.
She had been a loyal member of the credit union for years and visited the branch almost every week. The tellers knew her by name. She had deposits, payments and quick questions there all the time.
But this time was different.
She had recently discovered that the credit union offered a loan product that could have saved her nearly $3,000 in interest over the past few years.
What upset her most was not just the money.
It was the silence.
When the manager began speaking with her, she said something that stuck with the entire leadership team.
“I’m in this branch every single week. No one has ever mentioned this option to me. No one has ever asked if there was a way you could help me save money.”
Then she added something even more revealing.
“And no one has ever asked about the loans I have outside the credit union either.”
From her perspective, the credit union that knew her name had never really looked at her financial picture.
She couldn’t believe no one had taken the time to ask.
The conversation moved from the teller line to a supervisor and eventually to the vice president. When they reviewed the numbers together, it became clear she was right. A refinance option through the credit union could have saved her roughly $3,000 over the life of the loan.
For the leadership team, it was a difficult moment.
Because it exposed a blind spot in the culture.
This credit union cared deeply about service. Their team was friendly, helpful, and committed to building relationships. But there was one silent fear operating underneath the culture.
They were afraid of sounding too salesy.
No one wanted to be pushy. No one wanted members to feel like they were being pitched.
So they stayed quiet.
And that silence had cost a member $3,000.
The member wasn’t upset that the credit union tried to sell her something.
She was upset that they didn’t help her.
That moment became a pivot point for the entire organization.
Leadership began asking a bigger question.
How many members are walking in and out of our branches every week with financial opportunities no one is addressing?
This challenge is common across many credit unions today.
Teams are deeply committed to service, but they hesitate to recommend products or solutions for fear of being perceived as too sales-focused. In trying to protect the member experience, they unintentionally hold back from the very conversations that could help members the most.
But here is the reality.
One of the most powerful growth engines inside any credit union is already sitting across the counter.
It is the daily financial conversations happening between team members and members.
The key is learning how to guide those conversations the right way.
In my book Catalyst, I outline a framework called Recommendation-Based Selling, or RBS. It’s not about pushing products. It’s about helping members make better financial decisions through intentional financial conversations.
At a high level, RBS follows three simple steps:
- Set Clear Expectations for the Conversation
Great financial conversations start by lowering pressure, not increasing it.
Team members simply set the tone and let the member know the goal is to help.
It can be as simple as saying:
“While you’re here today, would it be okay if I asked a couple of quick questions to see if there are any ways we could help you save money or simplify your finances?”
This short statement removes pressure and invites the member into the conversation.
Now the team member has permission to explore how they might help.
Once expectations are clear, the next step is discovery.
2. Ask Better Questions During Discovery
Most branch conversations stay transactional. Deposit. Withdrawal. Payment. Receipt. New Loan Request. Repeat…
Recommendation-Based Selling helps teams move beyond transactions and understand the member’s financial picture.
One discovery question I often train teams to ask is simple but powerful:
“What is one financial goal you have for this year?”
Questions like this open the door to meaningful conversations.
Members often share frustrations, goals or challenges that would otherwise stay hidden.
And that is where the real opportunity to help begins.
3. Make Tailored Recommendations Based on Their Answers
Once a need becomes clear, the team member can recommend a solution based on what they just heard.
Not a product pitch.
A tailored recommendation.
For example:
“Based on what you shared about your loan, there may be a way we could reduce your monthly payments. Can we take a quick look at that together?”
The member stays in control.
The credit union simply steps into its role as a financial guide.
That was the lesson this credit union took from the $3,000 conversation.
The team realized they could not allow moments like that to happen again. If they saw an opportunity to help a member save money, simplify their finances, or reach a goal faster, they had a responsibility to speak up.
When teams adopt that mindset, something powerful happens.
Members feel cared for.
Relationships deepen.
And growth becomes a natural outcome of great service.
In fact, by utilizing RBS, this credit union saw a 18% increase in its referrals and cross-sells.
Our clients consistently see 9% to 21% increase in growth overall, once RBS is fully implemented.
Credit unions have an advantage that many larger banks can’t replicate. They know their members. They see them regularly. They build real relationships across the teller line and inside the branch.
When those relationships are paired with confident financial conversations, the impact is enormous.
Credit unions across the country are implementing Recommendation-Based Selling to strengthen member service while driving sustainable growth.
Through Michael Wolsten Consulting, we help credit unions train their teams, build the language and confidence needed to have these conversations naturally.
If you lead a credit union and want to learn how RBS can help your team serve members better while creating organic growth, I can share how.
You can reach me at info@michaelwolsten.com or visit www.michaelwolsten.com to learn more about the Catalyst framework and the Recommendation-Based Selling system.