Lending strategy
The metrics that growing credit unions measure differently
Every credit union board asks the same question: is our loan book growing safely? The data to answer it is already in your systems. The problem is that most dashboards show you the numbers without telling you what they mean. Especially when trying to track credit union lending metrics effectively. Decision volumes, turnaround times, delinquency…
Read MoreThe £165m question – and three others worth asking at ILCU
The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) Conference is a great moment to step back from day-to-day operations and ask the strategic questions that decide where your credit union will be in five years’ time. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas to grow your loan book, ways to attract younger members, a stronger evidence base…
Read MoreStrengthening the Credit Committee
Credit committees are built on something banks have never managed to replicate: a group of people who know their community. Who believe every application deserves a fair hearing. That’s a genuine strength. However focusing too much on assessing individual applications misses a much bigger strategic opportunity. Credit committees with aggregated data can consider the wider…
Read MoreLoan recycling: the hidden reason credit union loan books stall
Some credit unions are processing millions in lending each year but aren’t growing at all. The reason is loan recycling. Successfully addressing this is a direct route to sustainable growth. Why the loan recycling rate matters more than you think The loan recycling rate measures what proportion of a credit union’s opening loan book was…
Read MoreHow Northern Ireland Credit Unions Can Win Younger Members
The average age of a credit union loan applicant in Northern Ireland is 44 years. In Great Britain, it’s 38. That six-year gap isn’t just a statistic; it’s a warning sign. A membership that skews older isn’t standing still. Older members borrow less, save more, and eventually stop needing financial services altogether. A credit union…
Read MoreWhy members walk away (and how to stop them)
Every loan application that doesn’t complete is a missed opportunity, for the member who needed credit, and for the credit union trying to grow its loan book. Withdrawal rate is the metric that captures this attrition. Critically, for many credit unions it’s quietly undermining growth in ways that don’t always get the attention they deserve.…
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