Thanks to an initiative by its teller staff in all 236 statewide branch locations, State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) is helping members "make the switch" to a consumer-friendly checking account.

Even though 800,000 of the Credit Union's 1.6 million members already utilize SECU's checking product, the "Switch" program offers Credit Union personnel a chance to increase this number even further and help members, on a one-on-one basis, who could benefit financially with an SECU checking account, a news release said.

Since the initiative began, more than 11,000 members have been educated on the credit union's checking product, and 750 have already officially made the switch to SECU, the release said.

The "Switch" project idea was a result of tellers recognizing that a large majority of members without an SECU checking account felt it would be too inconvenient to move to the Credit Union.

A focus group of teller services managers was formed and met with Patty Munns, SECU's senior vice president of corporate projects, to develop a "Switch" program. SECU teller services managers from across the state then gathered to learn about the program details and the project kick-off began earlier this year.

As they are serving members at their stations, tellers identify who might benefit from a Credit Union checking account and they work to educate members on the SECU product, the news release said. However, the key feature of the SECU "Switch" is the opportunity to work individually with the same teller, who guides a member through the step-by-step process of moving a checking account from another financial institution to SECU.

"This checking switch project is a great initiative for our teller staff as they are the first point of contact for members visiting the branch," Munns said. "Tellers interact daily with the membership and have a clear understanding of the services they use. The ultimate goal is to help members save money on the products they need and want from their financial institution without compromising convenience or service. The 'Switch' process can be hassle-free and SECU tellers are now proving that on a daily basis!"

SECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its nearly 1.7 million members.