MARKET RESEARCH

CONSUMER RESEARCH SERVICES

• Consumer Research Services
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• Strategic Planning
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• Retail Delivery
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• Brand Assessment
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• Testimonials

MEMBERSHIP RESEARCH

As credit union assets continue to grow, so will the number of competitors for your members' savings and loan dollars. The financial services industry has become a commodities business. As a result, management is now, more than ever, recognizing the need to invest in actionable research that will measure past, present and future performance.

D. Hilton Associates has been conducting credit union member research for more than 20 years. We understand the data needs of our clients and have constructed proven methodologies to deliver actionable recommendations. We understand that all credit unions are unique in their business strategies and require customized methodologies to answer their research questions. All clients have the option of choosing one or multiple channels (i.e., direct mail, telephone, focus groups, Internet). Among the many potential areas that the member research can explore are:

• Acquisition and market activity (success in marketing dollars spent)
• Usage and satisfaction (member experience by channel)
• Referral and future business (impact of member loyalty)
• Demographic makeup (unique segments within the membership)

COMMUNITY RESEARCH

Consumer acquisition plays an important role in any credit union's growth plan. Management must know the market in which they compete and the credit union's share of that market. Non-member research is an excellent method for evaluating competitor satisfaction, product penetration and overall brand recognition. Using one or multiple applications (i.e., direct mail, telephone, focus groups, etc.), DHA will provide the credit union with a snapshot of the market and the organization's performance relative to its competitors. Potential areas of measurement could include:

• Barriers to entry (qualities present in current banking providers)
• Market knowledge gap (opinions of credit unions)
• Brand recognition (awareness of your institution)
• Research Channels

Credit union research projects can take many forms, depending on the complexity of a client's need. One or multiple channels can be employed to secure quality data.

• Direct Mail Surveys provide clients with volumes of attitudinal data about the marketplace and allow for unlimited flexibility in customization.
• Telephone Surveys allow a client to quickly obtain a sizeable amount of data on a specific area of interest (e.g., small business loans, branch satisfaction).
• Internet Surveys act as a good complement to direct mail and telephone surveys by providing an extension of overall opinions about a subject. They are especially useful in gauging opinions about technology related services.
• Focus Groups deliver a wealth of qualitative data about your members on a particular subject. Focus groups also serve as a terrific means of exploring the opinions of a new product or service offering in an extremely short amount of time.

RESEARCH APPLICATION

Using your behavioral, demographic and financial data, DHA can develop actionable strategies to help grow your business. Among the many benefits of DHA's member research services are:

• Enhanced direct mail precision (smaller household mailings but higher response)
• Profitability predictions by member satisfaction level
• Cross-sell prediction models
• Branch performance statistics for incentive plans/performance reviews
• Credit union performance statistics for management incentive plans

For more information, please call Brian Kidwell at 800.367.0433, ext. 125, or e-mail briank@dhilton.com.