Client Overview: 

Consolidated Community Credit Union (CCCU) partnered with FI GROW Solutions to enhance their sales enablement for the Retail and Consumer Lending teams.

The objective was to:

• Implement HubSpot CRM
• Improve Lead Tracking and Follow-Up
• Streamline the Sales Team Process 
  
  

Key Challenges:

1. Transform team from relying on manual processes to a CRM
Both Retail and Consumer Lending teams relied on manual or outdated processes for lead follow-up and sales tracking, resulting in inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and incomplete application follow-ups.

2. Increase Visibility into Abandoned Applications
The credit union had limited visibility into members who began but never completed loan applications. Without        an effective lead capture and tracking system, valuable opportunities were lost.

3. Create Consistent Consumer Engagement
 Members often received generic follow-up communications that didn’t align with their preferences, making it harder to close deals and maintain member satisfaction.

Solutions Implemented: 

1. Implemented HubSpot CRM for the credit union with its technical tool setup

FI GROW Solutions developed fully customized deal boards in HubSpot for both Retail and Consumer Lending teams. The key features of these deal boards included:

• Lead Categorization and Tracking: Each lead was tracked from creation through follow-up and completion, allowing the sales team to monitor progress in real-time.
• Current Sales Cadence Integration: To ensure efficiency, the deal boards were aligned with CCCU's existing sales cadence, which minimized disruption and avoided duplicating efforts. This created a seamless transition to the new system, improving user adoption.
  
  

2. Conducted an initial Consumer Experience Audit to uncover the current process and create a customized dashboard to manage leads for retail and consumer lending

One of the standout features implemented was giving members (loan applicants) the ability to choose how they preferred to be followed up with—whether through phone, email, or text. This member-driven approach increased engagement and follow-through by making the experience more personalized.

• Results: With this option in place, member engagement rates increased, and CCCU saw higher response rates from follow-up activities compared to their previous generic methods.

3. Created Sales Piplines and Automated Sales Follow-Up

• Timely follow-up without burdening the sales team.
• Email responses based on the member’s interactions, creating a more personalized experience.
• Consistent communication that aligned with the member’s preferences (phone, email, or text).

Example: Members interested in consumer loans would receive follow-up emails or text messages based on their preference, automatically triggered through the HubSpot CRM. Sales teams were immediately alerted to engage further once the member took an action, such as clicking a link or responding to a message.

4. Comprehensive 3-Month One-on-One Sales Coaching for Retail and Lending

To maximize the impact of these tools, FI GROW Solutions provided structured sales training to both the Retail and Consumer Lending teams. The training covered:

• HubSpot CRM Basics: Ensuring that teams were comfortable using the platform’s deal boards, tracking, and automation features.
• Digital Sales Strategies: Helping the teams better understand digital-first approaches to member engagement, including the effective use of sales sequences.
• Follow-Up Best Practices: Emphasizing the importance of timely, relevant follow-up that aligns with member preferences.

5. Created Custom Reporting Dashboards based on Team Managers' identified KPIs

Recognizing the critical importance of capturing leads early in the process, we worked with CCCU to implement lead capture forms on their website, before members started the loan application process. These forms allowed CCCU to:

• Track abandoned applications.
• Send automated reminders to members who hadn’t completed their applications.
• Follow up with members who showed interest but hesitated to move forward.

Impact: The addition of these lead capture forms significantly improved visibility into member behavior and allowed the sales teams to re-engage with members who would have otherwise fallen through the cracks.

Results and Impact 

Retail Team - Deposit Accounts

(April 1st, 2024 - August 31st, 2024,)

• 440 Non-Member Leads Tracked 
  • 104 had Fully Completed Applications, Not Requiring Sales efforts. (FI GROW offers LOS and Core Data Integrations with HubSpot, eliminating duplicate efforts and maximizing team efficiency.)

• • 30 New Accounts Opened, representing a notable improvement in conversion rates after implementing the new follow-up strategies and deal boards.
    
    

• Sales Sequence Metrics: A Custom Automated One-on-One Email Follow Up to from a Sales Team Member
  • 72.92% open rate
  • 10.42% click rate
  • 12.5% reply rate, highlighting the effectiveness of personalized, automated follow-ups

Consumer Lending Team

(April 1st, 2024 - May 31st, 2024)

• 227 Leads Tracked 

• • 27 New Loans Closed, Totaling an average of $1.3 Million in Consumer Loan Volume
    
    

Lead Recovery Efforts: The lead capture forms allowed CCCU to re-engage members who abandoned applications, helping recover lost leads and boosting the overall application completion rate.

Key Takeaways for Lending Leaders  

• Efficiency through Customization: By aligning the CRM tools with existing sales cadences, CCCU was able to improve efficiency without disrupting their teams. This approach ensured that staff weren’t doing “double work” but instead enhancing their current processes.
• Member-Driven Follow-Up: Allowing members to choose their preferred method of communication resulted in higher engagement and improved lead conversion rates. This personalized approach can serve as a model for other credit unions looking to improve member relationships.
• Sales Sequence Automation: Automated sales sequences triggered by member interest ensured that no opportunity was missed, keeping the sales pipeline active and well-managed.
• Visibility into Abandoned Applications: The integration of lead capture forms and follow-up tools significantly improved CCCU’s ability to recover and close abandoned loan applications, driving higher revenue from what were previously lost opportunities.
  
  

  Conclusion

The success of this project demonstrates the power of customization and automation in modern sales processes. By working closely with CCCU’s teams, FI GROW Solutions delivered a tailored solution that aligned with their existing sales practices while improving overall productivity and member engagement. As credit unions and banks continue to adapt to a digital-first landscape, these types of solutions will be key in maintaining competitive advantage and driving growth.

At FI GROW Solutions, we're ready to help you Boost Your Team's Impact. We offer Sales & Service Assessments and CRM Implementation in addition to Ongoing Support for your lending and retail teams.

Increase Share of Wallet with Sales & Service Enablement

You can do this for your Financial Institution as well, and we can help!

Contact us today to boost your team's impact! 

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