From Selling to Upserving: The Credit Union Mindset Shift

Working from home full-time is great—except for one thing. My supervisors (three very bossy dogs) are not great at conversing. They’ll let me know when it’s time to go outside or if it’s snack time, but they’re not much help when it comes to meaningful dialogue. That’s why I occasionally work weekends as a server at a steakhouse restaurant—where conversation, listening, and recommendations are everything.

In fine dining, I can’t just drop a menu and expect guests to figure it out. I have to know the details of every dish—what pairs well together, which cut of steak is best for their preferences, and what wine will make it all shine. My job is to listen closely, pick up on cues, and guide guests toward the experience they didn’t even know they wanted. Yes, I’m working for a tip—but the bigger picture is creating a great experience. And that difference—the experience—is what earns the 25% tip instead of the 10%.

And here’s the best part: when I offered that level of service, my guests came back. They started asking for me by name and even brought their families along. Why? Because trust and rapport grew exponentially with every interaction. They knew I wasn’t just trying to “sell them” a bottle of wine—I was there to create an experience worth returning for.

Credit unions are no different. Too often, staff can slip into a transactional rhythm: deposit, withdrawal, loan payment, next member please. Or worse, pushing a product simply because there’s a goal attached to it. But that’s not true service—it’s sales. And when we do that, we’re doing our members a disservice.

A perfect illustration of this mindset can be found at Landings Credit Union, one of our clients at TwoScore. A member who uses a wheelchair arrived at their Tempe branch before it opened, having taken a 30-minute bus ride. Unfortunately, one of the rubber tires on their wheelchair had slipped off the rim. Two of their employees stepped outside to help fix it. 

While speaking with them, one of their staff members discovered that, despite having a smartphone, the member wasn’t using the mobile app because they were uncomfortable with it. So, one of the tellers sat down with the member, downloaded the app, and showed them how to use mobile deposit. That single moment of upserving not only gave them more independence but also strengthened their relationship with Landings Credit Union.

Members don’t come to us looking for a sales pitch. They come to us because they want a trusted financial partner—someone who listens and then matches them with the right product or service at the right time. That’s upserving.

These moments are what upserving is all about. Just like in fine dining, where guests return and ask for you by name because you went the extra mile, members respond the same way. They feel valued, cared for, and supported. And when they return, they bring their trust, loyalty, and even their families with them.

At the end of the day, our work is not transactional—it’s transformational. We’re not just handling accounts; we’re changing experiences. And when we walk the walk and talk the talk, we don’t just serve members. We upserve them—and that makes all the difference.