We know, you know, they know!

Creating an awareness at a national level takes the cooperation of the network, the credit union and the members.  Together they create an awareness that cultivates a successful national shared branching network in line with the industry’s mission of ‘people helping people’ and the cooperative nature of credit unions.   Regional networks across the United States work with their participating credit unions providing them marketing materials, both physical and electronic, as well as training materials and videos for their members.  Each participating credit union is encouraged to promote shared branching.

Evidence of its success is based on a simple fact that members use shared branching.  Shared branching transaction volume continues to grow year over year both in Florida as well as nationally.  Members continue to expect their credit union to provide them convenient ways to transact.  Shared branching provides the convenience of a branch nearby whether they’re near home, work, school or traveling.

People young and old still appreciate the convenience of being able to walk into a branch and work with someone in person.  When participating in shared branching through Shared Services for Credit Unions the credit union becomes part of the national CO-OP shared branching network giving their members access to nearly 5,500 credit union branches for access in all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy and Germany.  The national network logo, advertised by every credit union, creates a national stamp every participating credit union member has learned to recognize.

Click here to search for shared branching locations near you.

Shared branching is the cooperation between credit unions to share their branches for basic financial transactions as a convenience for their members.  Wow! What a concept right?  You might say, “Banks don’t do this.” and you’d be correct.  Sharing branching is the credit union industry’s way of competing with the big banks that have a branch on every corner.  The aggregate of shared credit union branches has now placed credit unions among the top 5 financial institution in number of branches.  It facilitates credit unions to remain their member’s primary financial institution (PFI) no matter where they move, travel and work, as well as, being an excellent resource for disaster recovery.

Credit Unions operate under strict and limiting rules.  They can only conduct business with members within their field of membership. They also operate under the competitive disadvantage of limited channels of distribution or branching system.  When a credit union wishes to locate an office to serve its membership, it can only select an area where there are enough members to justify and support the facility.  Because of these limitations, many credit union members are severely underserved.

For these and many other reasons shared branching is the solution for many credit unions nationwide to partner together to form a network of branches credit union members can utilize.

Click here for CU and Emergency Contact Information - updated 9/21/17

Shared branching has, for a long time been considered a disaster recovery solution.  It provides the credit union peace of mind and an alternative solution you can provide your members.

Need to close or move a branch?

It’s a disaster to members local to a branch when you’ve made the very difficult decision to close or move a branch.  Shared branching gives you a silver coin in your pocket solution to provide your members an alternative that facilitates them to continue to transact with you at a location convenient to them using the shared branching network.  With nearly 5,500 branches across the nation, Puerto Rico, Guam, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands as well as a mobile app, your members can transact with you anywhere, anytime at a very reasonable cost to you. 

Contingency Plan?

A natural or unnatural disaster can hit anywhere, anytime, and at any level.  You only have to make a quick glance on FEMA’s website or listen to the daily news to understand that on any given day there are countless disasters occurring around the world which potentially could include your family, friends or your members, their family or friends.  Are you prepared to be able to service your family, members or employees should a major disaster hit your area or theirs?  Shared branching is an affordable disaster recovery and risk reduction solution.  The network of shared branching credit unions can give you and your members peace of mind in times such as this.

Already a participating credit union?

Login to our website and make sure your credit union frontline staff are ready to perform one of the most priceless benefits, Credit Unions helping Credit Unions, by making them aware of the Disaster/Emergency Procedures. 

For more information about our shared branching disaster recovery solution, Contact Us.