MPS Credit Union is busy delivering on its plan for growth this year – using a route to success that includes a new cash-back checking feature, a long-awaited re-branding, and a customer service team that truly loves what they do in the community.
The Miami-Dade based credit union also recently revamped its website to reflect the new direction the 87-year-old institution is taking to expand beyond serving just the Miami Postal Service (MPS). Currently, MPSCU operates three South-Florida branches, strategically located in Doral, Pinecrest, and Miami Gardens.
“The financial industry in South Florida is fierce,” says Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Gerson. “So while MPS was founded as a postal credit union, in order to compete, we extended our field of membership to include anyone who lives, works, or worships in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, or Monroe Counties.”
And now the transition to a more community-based credit union is being bolstered by the introduction of a unique new product line called Kasasa Checking, timed to launch alongside MPS’s re-branding. “The combination of Kasasa and the new look-and-feel of MPS serves as a one-two punch to attract a larger base of customers,” Gerson added.
So what is a “Kasasa” anyhow? It’s the brand name for three new checking accounts, including Kasasa Cash Back, Kasasa Cash, and Kasasa Tunes, designed to appeal to the varying needs of MPS customers.
Simply stated, “Kasasa has brought the ‘cool’ back to checking,” says Gerson. “It rewards customers for doing the things they’d normally be doing anyhow with their checking account.”
Features of Kasasa Cash include providing 2.5 percent interest (up to $10,000) for engaging in everyday activities such as using e-statements, using a debit card 12 times a month, and doing online bill payments. Gerson also added that there are no fees whatsoever attached to Kasasa accounts, and ATM fees are reimbursed.
Kasasa Cash is for people who can hold $10,000 in their account; and Kasasa Tunes is for “millennial” customers who prefer to get their rewards in the form of iTunes, GooglePlay, or Amazon credits.
Kasasa is a brand name created by Bancvue, which teams up with participating credit unions and community banks across the country so that they may better compete with the so-called big box banks that offer similar monthly reward-based programs.
“Allowing credit unions to band together to offer Kasasa will give it greater brand recognition around the country – so that it becomes like the ‘Starbucks’ of checking accounts,” noted Gerson. “And while there are some debit-card rewards programs out there, nothing is as rich as this program.” MPSCU is one of the first credit unions in South Florida to offer Kasasa.
Also this year, MPS will continue growing its community presence with an aggressive outreach program of local events, activities, and promotions.
“Our biggest challenge is to achieve name recognition,” says Gerson. So to get MPS better known, her marketing team is joining with local business associations and supporting a multitude of community events – especially in Pinecrest, where they have signed on with such children’s events such as Track or Treat at Halloween and the Annual Fit Kids Day.
“We participate in the annual Breast Cancer Walks and the Alzheimer’s Walks. We even engage in a roadside clean-ups and planting projects in Miami Gardens each year,” she added.
“It really helps that our staff genuinely enjoys engaging with our communities.” With 14 years in the business, Gerson enjoys this aspect of her job as well – and truly takes to heart the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.”
“I just love the industry,” she says, “and I love knowing that the marketing I am doing and the great services MPS provides truly help people.”
For information, call MPSCU at 305-592-7733 or visit www.mpscu.org.
