MILLFORD, Conn. - Members Resources.com President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Sessel said original, member-focused content and a complete menu of e-commerce options puts MembersResources.com ahead of the pack. Sessel said MembersResources.com is currently in the final stages of completing an alliance that will bring an Internet lending piece to the portal. It will allow members to apply for traditional CU loans, as well as for e-commerce loans to fund purchases made on the site. But Sessel said that aside from online lending, Internet banking, and traditional Net-based functionality, Members-Resources.com wants to meet members at the initial access point by partnering to provide them with Internet Service Provider solutions. He said an ISP component is on the horizon, and also a separate Members Resources.com free e-mail account, similar to the free e-mail Yahoo!, MSN and other portals offer. Members who already have ISP service could still get a free MembersResources.com e-mail address. Sessel said there are thousands of sites members can go for generic personal finance information, so the company wanted something unique. MembersResources.com has brought on columnists who write just for the portal. They focus on not only financial matters, said Sessel, but also on health, childcare, home life, sports, and entertainment. MembersResources.com even has its own original online soap opera, Hallowed Halls. The e-commerce component, "Members Mall", currently has 80 stores in it. Credit unions receive 50% of the revenue from purchases members make in the mall. The portal encourages member usage by awarding "Resource Dollars" each time a member makes a purchase in the mall. Members can use those dollars toward future purchases. Interestingly, Sessel said one of the more popular areas of the portal is the games section. Members can play games online and even play interactively against another Web surfer. At press time, MembersResources.com and EDS announced a strategic marketing alliance. EDS will provide a seamless integration of its Net banking and bill pay solutions on the portal. Sessel said down the line EDS will assist MembersResources.com with the technology to integrate the Net banking solutions from other credit union data processors. The alliance is also expected to spawn a broker/dealer component for the portal. "It won't be mandatory for its clients, but EDS will be offering our portal to them," said Sessel. Sessel said 50 credit unions have signed up for the portal service. The service is free. -
pgentile@cutimes.com
