Words of Wisdom: Holding a Glass of Water

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced.

So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... pick them up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now 'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..

5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it..

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

6 Major Office Distractions

Sound Design

When it comes to creating a productive office environment—it’s more than just four walls. According to a Cornell University study, even low-level noise in open-style offices can result in higher levels of stress and lower task motivation. If you’re going to go with an open office plan, be sure to think about where you place employees who operate at higher decibel levels. Also keep in mind placement of loud appliances such as copy machines.

Tech Intrusion

Nearly 60 percent of work interruptions are—you guessed it—thanks to the Internet. Yes, you can blame Fail Blog for not getting your work done. And don’t forget the time spent on social media, e-mail, and switching back and forth between on-screen applications. According to a survey by market research firm uSamp, while social media use can encourage coordination among employees, there’s no denying it’s a huge distraction

Watch That Dial

Room temperature can directly influence productivity at work. Cornell University studied the effect of increasing temperatures in the workplace from 68 degrees to 77 degrees. Errors at the company fell by 44 percent and typing output increased 150 percent with the increased temperatures. Another study indicates that an office can also be too hot—with a loss in performance at temperatures higher than 75.2 degrees.

Social Butterfly

Telephone calls, walk-in clients, that talkative colleague across the way: Unplanned conversations can have a dramatic affect on productivity in the workplace. Phone calls, talking with co-workers, and impromptu meetings make up 43 percent of work interruptions, according to a market research survey.

Sitting Pretty

The design of office workstations is often linked to health, comfort, and productivity in the workplace. Chairs that are not adjustable and desks that are too small can cause sore backs and contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. A study coordinated by Health and Work Outcomes, an independent health research and consulting company for office furniture manufacturer Steelcase, found that individuals who received office ergonomic training and sat in a highly adjustable chair increased average productivity by 17.8 percent after a year.

Space Matters

The Wall Street Journal recently published findings from a number of worldwide studies suggesting the space around your workstation could affect not only your productivity, but the style of work you accomplish. Low ceilings encourage analytical thinking, while high ceilings can encourage abstract thought and creativity. Color and light can also change the way we think. Surrounding workers with red walls could stifle creativity, but fuel inside-the-box thinking for tasks that call for small details and accuracy.

Transfer to Technology

Don’t think you can afford a top tier online banking platform yet? Consider the alternatives. A recent FMSI study indicates teller labor costs have increased by 64% in the last ten years, while transaction volumes have decreased 31% in the same timeframe as customer preferences changed and new technology options became available.

From online knowledge databases to online banking and remote tellers, technology takes some heat off front line staff, reduces staffing demands, and allows you to focus on a better member experience and streamlined performance with those you do have on the clock.

Read a lot more at: http://www.creditunions.com/article.aspx?articleid=4510&wt.mc_id=II071911

Celent Study Finds Small CUs 'Overwhelmed'

http://www.cutimes.com/2011/07/15/celent-study-finds-small-cus-overwhelmed
By Jim Rubenstein

A new study issued this week by Celent, the Boston financial research and consulting firm, is finding small credit unions “overwhelmed” by the complexity of technology and competition.

The study, “Tipping Scale: Credit Union Consolidation”, is based on NCUA data from 2010 and found CUs under $50 million “are disappearing”, though the industry as a whole appears to be adjusting to the new environment.

“What is driving this change?” asked the report co-author, Bart Narter, senior vice president. “Competition driven by demand for mobile banking, consumer and business remote deposit capture and branch capture.”

The study found that smaller CUs “don’t have the scale to create these offerings and even the larger credit unions dwarfed by the size of their bank competitors are finding it difficult to keep up.”

In the past, “credit unions simply required a branch or two, a core banking system and ATM but in the past 10 years “Internet banking, bill pay, know your customers and office of foreign assets control compliance” have all become “table stakes,” Narter said.

In reporting on the CU diminishment, the study noted that the number of CUs in the U.S. “is declining rapidly from 10,316 at the end of 2,000 to 7,330 at the end of 2010.”

The vast majority of this consolidation “is taking place in the smaller credit union with assets under $50 million. However, CUs over $500 million “are vastly outgrowing any other category relative to their tier,” the Celent report said.

Celent, which has done most of its work on the banking sector, said this is the third recent report on credit unions, with the previous two covering core data processing at both large and small CUs.

It's Been a Rough Year

But not everyone is as lucky as I am ......

The economy is so bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.

I ordered a burger at McDonald's, and the kid behind the counter asked, "Can you afford fries with that?"

CEO's are now playing miniature golf.

If the bank returns your check marked “Insufficient Funds," you have to call them and ask if they mean you or them.

Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.

McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ‘ouncer’.

Parents in Beverly Hills and Malibu are firing their nannies and learning their children's names.

A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.

Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting.

Motel Six won't leave the light on anymore.

The Mafia is laying off judges.

Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen.

Congress says they are looking into the Bernard Madoff scandal. Oh Great!! The guy who made $50 Billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 Trillion disappear!

And, finally...

I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, and our bleak future, that I called the Suicide Lifeline and was connected to a call center in Pakistan. When I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.

At 101, Harry Hahn retires from CUs

ERIE, Pa.   After 60 years associated with credit unions, Harry Hahn, 101 has finally decided to retire, according to Erie Times-News (July 10).

Hahn, who will turn 102 on Aug. 9, formally retired last month as a nonvoting director emeritus of the Erie (Pa.) FCU to spend more time with his bride, Theresa, age 92, whom he married late last year.

Hahn--described by Erie FCU CEO Mary Beth Wilcher as having a "little hearing problem" but as "sharp as a tack"--also worked with Hammermill Employees FCU, where he served as board director, treasurer and supervisory committee member, before its merger with Erie FCU.

He also was active in the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association (PCUA) and served on its board of directors for 15 years. He received its Lifetime Achievement Award and was its Volunteer of the Year.

Jim McCormack, president/CEO of PCUA, described Hahn as humble, low-key and sincere. Hahn was a mentor to many, he said. "I owe so much to him, and a lot of people in Erie and the state would say the same thing," he said.

Conference: Serving Your Members in the 21st Century

Have you marked your calendar yet?

Nov. 7-10, 2011

Palm Springs, CA

http://cuconferences.com/11Reach/2011%20Reaching%20Final6_17_11.pdf

“Reaching Your Members in the 21st Century” brings you new ideas with practical results. More details coming your way.

Guest Presenters 

Tom Glatt, Jr.

Glatt Consulting, LLC

Sean McDonald, VP Marketing

Hudson Heritage FCU

Paul Robert, CCO

FI Strategies, LLC

Kevin Blair, Pres.

NewGround

June News and Views Published Below

CU SECURITY & TECHNOLOGY News - Providing a brief summary of news and information related to security and technology issues for credit unions - Plus some interesting and fun web sites . . .

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Lax Hotel Network Security Leads to Credit Fraud

Have you ever wondered what happens to your credit card information after it’s swiped at the hotel front desk? New York Times reporter Joe Sharkey knows. Sharkey told petergreenberg.com that he discovered a small unauthorized merchant charge on his credit card the same day he checked out of the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. It wasn’t the first time. Earlier, Sharkey reported in The New York Times that he and his wife had their credit card accounts compromised following hotel stays. In both cases, hackers made multiple small unauthorized purchases. Why were the charges small, you might ask? That’s how hackers check whether card holders are paying attention and whether credit card accounts are vulnerable.

Hackers Are the Hotel Industry’s Frequent Uninvited Guests

According to a 2011 Global Survey Report released by Trustwave SpiderLabs, Sharkey has plenty of company. The report shows that one in ten of the data breaches that Trustwave investigated in 2010 happened in the hotel industry. If you’re a frequent hotel guest, that’s not good news.

Hotel hacking that leads to credit fraud seems to be as easy as shooting ducks in a barrel. The reasons: Point of sale devices are vulnerable; there’s huge volume of credit card transactions; and credit card information is retained for reservations and loyalty programs.

Unsecured hotel wireless networks at hotels have also proven to be an ideal place for hackers to commit a variety of other crimes. At the luxury Thompson Hotel chain, a hacker captured embarrassing emails belonging to guests and staff members that were transmitted over its wireless network and threatened to make them public.

In many states across the country, hackers staying at hotels or parked nearby have used the anonymity of hotel wireless networks to download kiddie porn.

Guests looking to use their hotel’s wireless Internet may face another security threat. In 2010, The CBS Early Show had an ethical hacker set up a fake WiFi access point at a New York City hotel, calling it “Best Free Public WiFi.” Before long, dozens of unsuspecting wireless device users tried to log on. When an unsuspecting hotel guest connects to a rogue WiFi access point like that, his sensitive financial information can be harvested by a hacker.

How to Hide From Hotel Hackers

Remember, staying at a nice hotel with good security doesn’t guarantee that your financial information will be safe from hackers. Here’s what you can do to protect your most valuable possession – your identity.

• Find out what your hotel is doing to protect your credit card information. Ask whether its wireless network uses WPA (WiFi Protected Access) encryption. It requires a password to get onto the network and encrypts all the information transmitted on it. This prevents eavesdropping over wireless. But it may not stop other guests connected to the same hotspot from stealing your information.

• Watch out for Evin Twins. Some WiFi networks you spot at hotels may look like the real thing. They may even contain your hotel’s name. But they can still be rogue access points created by hackers to steal your data. Check with the establishment to make sure which network is the real one.

• Always assume you’re not alone on any public WiFi network. Disable file sharing; and never send Social Security numbers or financial information when over a wireless connection.

• Use a credit card instead of a debit card at hotels so your bank account will be protected.

• Use a VPN (virtual private network) like Private WiFi to ensure that the information transmitted over your WiFi connection is invisible to hackers.

Jan Legnitto is an investigative journalist and documentary producer who writes about criminal justice and intelligence issues.

Five Things You Must Know about Airport Security

Here are five things you must know about airport security; this list will help keep things in perspective next time you hear another outrage story, plus it may even help you have a quicker and easier security experience.

1. Airport Security Mistakes Happen.

TSA screeners are human; they will make mistakes. However, the vast majority of these men and women are simply following the rules they are bound by. If you don’t like the rules, and I for one think they could use a huge dose of common sense, take it out on the politicians, not the screeners. (Click on photos to enlarge)

2. Airport Security Mistakes are Few

Stories of outrage make news: when a former Miss USA described her pat-down as “molestation”, people paid attention. Still, in the United States alone, 2 million people get on planes every day; that’s almost three-quarters of a billion a year. The number of “outrages” is miniscule in comparison.

3. Know the Security Checkpoint Requirements

Passengers have security responsibilities too, and following them will speed your time in the line; know what you can and cannot bring through the security checkpoint. Forget arguing about it; you will not win.

4. Security Changes are Coming

By the end of 2011, the TSA hopes to have a “trusted traveler” program in place, or at least in testing-mode: participants who agree to background checks and interviews will supposedly breeze through security. According to the U.S. Travel Association, a majority of passengers say they’d pay for this service, up to $150 a year. Would you pay for quicker security?

5. Airport Security Will Never be Completely Hassle-Free

If you yearn for the good old days of zipping through the airport, forget it. We’ll never go back. The people behind 9/11 saw to that. All we can do is make the best of a difficult situation. Yes, report any outrages you see, but also do your part to make the security experience a smooth one for you and all the people in line behind you.

How to Get Your Messages Read

The first challenge in the 3 R’s – get your prospects to rip it open is one of the toughest. It’s no wonder. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the time we lay down to sleep, we’re bombarded with advertising messages.

The real question is, “How do you get past that so your message stands out from the rest?”

Get ready to see your sales explode with this unique dynamite tube. Just include your sales message inside and it's guaranteed to be included in the A-Pile of mail.

One strategy that we find to be very effective, and again we’re going on the assumption that you have a semi-qualified list, is lumpy mail. Lumpy mail is a term I use to describe mail that is unusual shape or size and makes you want to open it just to find out what it is. It will actually overcome the first of those main problems, which is just getting the stuff opened.

6 "Lumpy Mail" ideas to get your offer opened

There are so many fun and wonderful strategies that you can get it opened. One thing that you can do is, as we say, “Add a lump and get a bump in response.” You can actually make the carrier unusual. Here are six of my favorites:

1. Send your marketing in a mailing tube.

There are several different things you can do with a tube. You can make it like a dynamite stick and have a little wick sticking out with a message that says: Get ready to see your sales explode! We actually got a call from this right after 9/11. It was very funny. I was giving a seminar and it was a week and a-half after 9/11. This guy stood up and said, “I just used your stuff,” and 250 people turned to the back of the room. “I sent out a dynamite stick last week after 9/11.” Jon, I have to tell you, it’s the best response I’ve received in my life.”

2. Be creative. Mail a watermelon?

One of the lumpiest of all mailers that we sent, which got us quite a bit of attention, generated more than a 90% response rate. We sent a watermelon. We placed a clear envelope on the outside of the watermelon with a bunch of stamps and sent it. It’s expensive to mail, but I want to illustrate how you can be creative in direct marketing.

Think your message will get noticed if you sent it with a watermelon? You bet it will! If you would like to know more about this or any other creative Lumpy Mail idea give us a call toll-FREE at 800-805-1220.

3. Tie it to a balloon and watch your response rate soar.

We once did a mailing that got a 31% response for IBM. It was a pre-show mailer to sell exhibit spaces. One of the things that we sent was a box that was about 18 inches wide. When you open the box, a helium balloon rises up tied to a string and a package of Red Hots candy. (If you’re interested in doing this, check with us first. When balloons are shipped over the Rocky Mountains, all the helium deflates so we have two distribution centers on both sides of the Rockies to handle the shipments.)

4. Put your message in a bottle and send it out.

This mailing has generated 60% response rates. Just include your message in the bottle and you'll get noticed right away!

Another popular promotion is what we call, “Message in a Bottle.” The package looks like a wine bottle. The message is rolled up inside and attached to the cap so it can be pulled out easily by the prospect. The message begins by saying, “Don’t get left stranded…” or “Enclosed is your treasure map…” I’ve seen this get 60% response rates for seminar mailings.

5. A briefcase makes a terrific high-end package.

One client, Info Now that has products with an average sale of $100,000, actually sent a metal Halliburton briefcase to CIOs, CEOs and CFOs at Fortune 500 Companies. When you opened the briefcase, a laptop inside automatically started running a video presentation. Next to the laptop was a Nokia cell phone. At the end of the presentation, it said, “Press send.” The promotion generated a 55% response rate and of those, 50% converted to a sale.

6. Handwritten address with a live stamp ... simple, but effective!

Simply address the envelope with what looks like a handwritten address and add a commemorative stamp – not a bulk mail stamp. The problem with handwritten addresses is that they can be slow and expensive, but after nearly two years of searching we finally found software that looks just like the real thing! This is important because 83% of your prospects will open a hand-addressed envelope. Tip: don’t include a return address when you use a handwritten address. It will be intriguing enough that people will have to open it.

Automated Deposits Twice as Fast

Banks and credit unions continue to look for new ways to build their brands through improved customer service. NCR Corporation is seeing significant momentum from financial institutions around its new ATM technology that makes automated deposits twice as fast. You've likely heard (or written) about Wells Fargo and Chase's deployment of NCR's scalable deposit module -- but banks and CUs both large and small are turning to this technology.

NCR has already received orders for 7,000 ATMs with SDM in the U.S., and are in the process of rolling out this technology in other countries. NCR also announced today that many major ATM networks have completed their certification testing of SDM on their systems.

Another Cell Phone Scam

There's a number of solicitations making the rounds these days in an effort to obtain your cell phone number. These are scams and opens the door for viruses to attack your cell phone. Here's a good one. Pule is a friend of mine so I recognize his name, but as soon as the pop-up asked for my cell number, I canceled the transaction. It's fake.

BIG Phone Scam in the Works

What's the weakest link in your security? You are! When your phone rings don't believe anything you hear. That Microsoft employee you're talking to could be eating sardines and swigging vodka while he helps remove you from your money.

Evidently computer viruses and trojans are working so well, it seems scammers have enough time to launch a new form of attack. Getting up front and personal they are now attacking us through our phone. Posing as Microsoft tech support, they gain personal and financial information by instructing you, their victim, to setup and allow remote access under the guise of removing computer threats.

If people would only stop and think a minute they would realize that Microsoft doesn't know if their computer has a virus, and they certainly don't know their phone number. When everyone else is charging for even a moment of their time, do you think Microsoft is going to give you free trouble shooting by remote access. Obviously these crooks are counting on the most vulnerable in our society. They don't mind that 85% of the people they call hang up on them. It's the 15% that are paying their bills.

For you and I remote access is commonplace. We know how to do it and we know to be careful when allowing it. Some major companies use remote access now to help their customers with wireless connections and setting up home networks. For those less wary the offer of remote access seems genuine. Remote access is exciting, until they see their credit card bills. Then the fun is gone along with their money.

For now the scam is taking place in English speaking UK and North America. The scammers advise the victims that their computers are infected, show them bogus errors, direct them to a website, and walk them through making a purchase and installing tracking software. The average loss exceeds $800.00.

This has been a huge and surprisingly successful scam and Microsoft expects it to get even bigger and spread to other nations and languages.

Fortunately in my case, I hung up on the thief at the other end, but not everyone is that guarded. The Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Team did a survey of the involved area and discovered that out of 7000 people, more than 1,000 had received this type of call. Of the 1,000, 234 fell for the scam and followed the instructions. Of those, 184 actually lost money to the crooks. This means you have a 1 in 7 chance of being called. How do you like that for a phone campaign?

A problem this big requires that you be prepared ahead of time in order to avoid losing your hard earned cash. It requires only one rule and I'm putting it in bold below. Follow this one rule and all attempted phone scams are stopped dead.

Ohio CUs Hit by Debit Card Fraud Contain Losses on Own

Ohio Credit Union League spokesman Patrick Harris said the Northeast Ohio credit unions reportedly hit by a debit card fraud have managed to contain their fraud losses on their own.

According to police reports from the North Olmsted Police Department, criminals made fraudulent purchases from six accounts at the Cleveland-based, $311 million, Century Federal Credit Union, two accounts at the Cleveland-based, $180 million Firefighters Community Credit Union, two accounts at the Parma, Ohio-based $100 million PSE Credit Union, one account at the Cleveland-based, $36 million Steel Valley Federal Credit Union and one account at the Akron, Ohio-based, $180 million GenFed Credit Union.

Century’s president/CEO, Tony Coniglio, told Credit Union Times that approximately 200 accounts were hit at his 26,000-member credit union.

Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer newspaper listed two other credit unions that were hit by the breach: The $34 million First Class Credit Union Employees of Cleveland and the $98 million Best Reward Credit Union of suburban Walton Hills.

Best Reward President/CEO John Shirilla told Credit Union Times that there was no breach at his credit union.

Fraudsters reportedly made purchases using counterfeit debit cards containing stolen account information. Thieves are said to have stolen as much as $4,000 from a single account and the spending sprees reportedly took place at retailers across the U.S. and in several other countries

Are You Technology Driven?

Forrester Research notes that the Internet is now an integral part of a young person’s life (just as previous generations came to depend on the automobile and television). And just as cars and television triggered significant social shifts, Forrester suggests that what it calls the “Net-Powered Generation” will come to expect certain privileges as consumers.

Credit union application: Stop talking about technology products and start implementing them. These include live chat support, account to account transfer (outside your institution), text alerts/messaging, and mobile banking among others.

Credit Unions Increasing Membership and Deposits

Credit unions added 725,531 new members and $39 billion in new deposits during the 12 months ending March 2011.

SAN ANSELMO, Calif. (June 13, 2011) – A new analysis from Market Rates Insight (MRI, http://www.marketratesinsight.com/ ) reveals that credit unions have increased their membership base as well as their deposits volume during the 12 months ending March 2011.

Total membership increased from 90.2 million to 91.0 million – an increase of 725,531 new members at an average operating cost of $149 per new-member acquisition. The average membership per credit union increased from 12,035 to 12,475. The incremental increase in the average membership per credit union occurred despite a decrease in the total number of credit unions from 7,498 to 7,292 - a decrease of 206 institutions. The absolute increase in the average number of members per credit union was 439. The average same-store increase, which excludes mergers and acquisitions, in the number of members was 97 new members per credit union.

Total deposits (savings) at credit unions increased from $773 billion to $812 billion in the 12 months ending in March 2011 - an increase of $39 billion. The average deposits per member increased from $8,568 to $8,923 over the same time period - an increase of $355 per member. The greatest increases in deposits occurred in regular shares accounts (savings), which increased by $23 billion, followed by Money Market account up $15 billion and share drafts (checking) up $10 billion. The greatest decreased occurred in share certificates (CDs), which decreased by $12 during the 12 months ending March 2011.

“The credit union segment of the banking industry is very dynamic,” said Dan Geller, Ph.D. Executive Vice President at Market Rates Insight, “the increases in membership and in balance volume are an indication of broad appeal to and acceptance by the marketplace.”

Unique Travel Resource

If you want to retrieve just the best airfare for your upcoming travel, try Hipmunk (hipmunk.com) for a different visual approach. We think you will find this website interesting.

http://www.hipmunk.com/

Social Media

Portion of small businesses (50 employees or fewer) with company Facebook pages:

In 2009:  27%

In 2010:  41%

(Source – AT&T small business technology poll)

The Global Workplace

Segment of employees who say they are dissatisfied with their job:   58%

Segment of employees who plan to stay at their job:   70%