The town of souris is perched almost at the easternmost tip of Prince Edward Island. Here, at 129 Main St., is Souris Credit Union, a member of the community since 1954.
Today, about 3,000 Islanders, including many from Rollo Bay, North Lake, Fortune, St. Charles, South Lake and Kingsboro, rely on this institution for quick, efficient, down-home service.

To ensure the locally owned and operated branch is as quick and efficient as possible, Souris Credit Union recently completed a technology upgrade that improves Internet security, enhances in-branch communication and removes the need for in-house IT expertise. That upgrade started three years ago, says Steven Stewart, sales manager of the enterprise and business solutions group with Aliant Inc.

Bundling and outsourcing IT services is becoming commonplace in the financial services sector today — indeed, in most sectors. But at the time this initiative was launched, says Stewart, Souris Credit Union was a pioneer.

The pioneering effort started with a need to improve operations internally by connecting staff with one another electronically. As part of the upgrade, Aliant, the largest
telecommunications provider in Atlantic Canada, put in place “a total managed desktop solution.” In English, that means all employees have their own computer terminals with direct access to Microsoft Office software. This enables staff to share files and manage projects online. They can also book appointments, view calendars and send e-mail.

“We used to have an old paper-based logbook,” says Paul MacNeill, the credit union’s financial services officer. “Now front-line workers don’t have to leave their stations to book appointments. They don’t have to go hunting for a date book.”

That ease of access is making life easier for employees. The system even reminds them to open the front doors at 9 a.m. But customers also benefit, notes MacNeill:
“Wait times, for example, are down for us to book appointments.”

Security, on the other had, has been increased. The new technology includes a powerful firewall, anti-virus and backup software. Continuously running software ensures that the latest anti-virus upgrades are pulsing away on the credit union’s system and that the system is constantly being scanned for viruses. A high-end firewall further reduces the threat of breached security.

Hassle-free

Spam filters were also put in place. Within days (if not sooner), junk mail on the Webmaster’s e-mail plummeted from 30 a day to five.

“This is the highest level of security, [and] it is all done automatically,” says Stewart. “It’s hassle-free to the end-user.”

The hassle-free part appeals to MacNeill and his colleagues. In particular, he points to the ongoing maintenance of the system by Aliant as a major bonus.

“They can remotely come in and take control of our system to do upgrades and maintenance. This makes it much easier.
My job is to do loans and mortgages. I’m not an IT expert.”

“You have people doing the job they were paid to do,” Stewart agrees. “Customers can pick up the phone and can make an appointment. There is no circling of the office asking who’s free. There is no chasing down technical people.”

In fact, the credit union no longer needs a technology expert on staff, he points out: “We become the IT department. All programs are mirrored at Aliant.”

There is also a 24-hour help desk that provides credit union employees with support via the phone or e-mail. As anyone who has ever unsuccessfully clicked a mouse knows, technology bugs can’t always be exterminated externally or handled with a simple phone call. In some cases, human intervention is required in the flesh. As part of its technology deal, Souris Credit Union has direct access to a whiz kid — Joey Enman — who comes onsite to fix the problem. “He’s our go-to guy,” says MacNeill.

Having a go-to guy, he adds, may be the dividing line between the success or failure of the upgrades.

All these enhancements boil down to only one bill a month. Not only does that make the bookkeeping easier, but it also enables credit union staff to understand exactly what it is they’re paying for. Or, as Wayne Kane, the credit union’s general manager, likes to say, “There’s only one neck to choke.”

Bundled services and the one-bill system have been mainstays of large corporations for a long time. Now they are becoming more common among smaller and mid-sized firms, notes Stewart. “It fits their business model.”

@page_break@It also fits — and anticipates — the way business is done today and tomorrow. The changes, MacNeill says, mark a natural progression from the way Souris Credit Union was doing business to the way it needed to do business. “DOS is going the way of the dinosaur. You have to keep up,” he says.

Keeping up may also be less expensive in the long run, contends Stewart. “The total cost of ownership, once in place, should be less, especially over time. You have economies of scale and increased productivity.”

And customers can find it all at 129 Main St. in Souris. IE