I'm passionate about disruption. Not that I am a disruptive person, although my family may disagree (*wink). I think that disruption is awesome. It’s fast-moving, exciting and keeps us looking forward. Disruption is about thinking and acting differently, to see opportunity where others haven’t yet looked. Disruption is progress personified and it inspires me.
The word ‘disruption’ is often used in a negative context, but it’s actually a good thing, particularly when it brings together the elements of technology, competition and consumer behavior. It’s happening at an unprecedented rate today, with a handful of platforms setting the bar very high and propelling competitors to keep up. These disruptive innovations have fundamentally changed the way we interact as consumers. They zero in on what we want, then use technology and innovation to remove barriers to help us get it. Can you imagine a world without ‘googling’, smartphones, video streaming and a global department store you can access from your phone? This is the simplified, frictionless user experience we’ve come to expect and it’s all thanks to disruption.
How can disruption be a good thing in the context of meeting people's financial needs? How can it change things for the better? In my role as CEO of Innovation Federal Credit Union, changing things for the better always comes down to improving the member experience. We do this by embracing disruption. Some of the established and emerging disruptors we embrace are changing the way we do business. We learned about our members’ changing behaviours, followed the competition closely and have used these insights to make informed decisions about what our members need and expect from us.
We’ve used technology to move the dial in terms of our staff’s ability to serve our members. We view all of our locations as one centre that uses all of the various technologies to build a seamless and real-time collaboration for members and staff. Team members in any advice centre are able to assist a member on a video call or speak to a new member on the phone. No matter how the member wishes to connect, any of our staff in any location can happily chat with them.
Another piece of the Innovation difference is our Member Rewards program. Unique to our Innovation Nation, members gain valuable member dividends based on their level of everyday banking with us. These dividends are deposited quarterly into a Member Rewards account where things can really start to add up. We wrapped everyday banking into this reward program, which is pretty cool and no else is doing it.
By embracing these elements, we create a ripple of disruption in our industry around improving the member experience. This then accelerates disruption in our banking world.
I find the concept of convergence fascinating as it applies to disruption. Convergence happens when a number of disruptors come together and create monumental change. An example of this is clean energy disruption as described by Tony Seba. He articulates how solar technology, battery storage, car-hauling and electric vehicles are all independent disruptors, but when they converge, they create a positive experience for consumers and the environment. Convergence can exponentially move us beyond what was once considered possible.
I’m proud to say that the talented team at Innovation embraces this potent combination of disruption and convergence. They see it as a way to propel us forward, to adapt and perform at a level that exceeds our members’ expectations. Inspired by the mandate that no new member will be turned away at Innovation, our team is deeply committed to redefining the member experience. We want to better serve our current members and attract new members looking for a dynamic alternative to the traditional financial services model.
Disruption is a new reality in the financial services industry, so I’m grateful for a team that’s resilient and open to all that comes with pioneering innovative practices. As we lean into these exciting challenges, I would rather over-prepare our organization for future disruption than be under-prepared. We want to be able to say, “We saw that coming” and be armed with a purpose and strategic plan that keeps us proactive and ready to deliver an exceptional member experience every time. You need to disrupt or be prepared to be disrupted.