Sunday, February 15, 2009

An excellent alternative to the BIG Canadian Banks

Right off the top I will announce my conflict of interest: I am a member of Meridian Credit Union and the company is one of my most valued clients.
With that out of the way I just had to share with you my respect for this organization and in fact other credit unions throughout Canada. Although they have a relatively small market penetration that should change. If more people knew about the services available and the highly-personal approach to both personal and business banking embraced by Meridian I would think the doors of the branches would have line ups.
Did you know:
  • You can get the same full range of financial services from Meridian as you can from any of the BIG Canadian banks?
  • You will be treated like a person, not a number?
  • They will attempt to find a reason to say "Yes" rather than the seemingly automatic and rather emphatic "NO" people tend to experience with the BIG banks?
  • That your deposits are covered under DICO?
  • That they have an extensive ATM network?
  • That the people who manage and work in the branches actually will recall your name?
  • That you can take great advantage of the Financial Coaching available?

Based upon my interviews with branch personnel and clients, here's the lasting impression I have of Meridian Credit Union - they help people find hope and sound guidance.

If you're experiencing any of the challenges of the current financial environment I encourage you to seek out the alternative. Whether Meridian or some other credit union I suspect you will find a refreshingly new approach to financial planning and management.

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