With all the talk about social media these days and the ongoingrevolution in both mobile and tablet devices, the primary questionwill be how to deliver usable content in a cost-efficient manner toleverage these new devices.

The good news for credit unions is that they are well positionedto capitalize on these emerging trends.

Many credit unions have implemented imaging systems whereelectronic images of documents reside and are stored in securenetworked environments.

However, making these documents accessible and secure to theirmembers will be the real challenge. Most imaging systems in placetoday lack the sophistication and ability to deliver contenteffectively or efficiently to mobile apps. In a sense theyare first generation systems, which is OK, because they have laidthe groundwork for moving into a true electronic content management(ECM) system that can provide these desirable capabilities.

Let me explain. First generation imaging systems allow creditunions to start scanning and capturing paper-based documents andimplementing various forms of electronic signatures on items suchas receipts and simple loan documents.

In effect what they have done is create a repository of imageddata that can be retrieved but not much else.

Enter electronic content management systems. ECM allowsthose documents to become active by becoming part of workflowsdesigned to deliver notifications or event tracking that tells theend user that an action must take place. A good example wouldbe in the creation of a new loan.

Let’s assume that a member is out shopping for a new car on theweekend and decides to buy his/her dream car. They negotiatethe price and when they sit down with the dealer and the subject offinancing comes up, the dealer will provide them with a variety offinancing offers from various entities.

Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to the credit union if thatmember pulled out their iPad2 or mobile Android device, logged intotheir home banking and applied for a loan right then? Or evenbetter – had pre-qualified prior to going into the dealership?

Regardless, they take their mobile device enter the terms of theloan and within a matter of seconds they have their documents onscreen ready to sign with a digital certificate or simply by usingtheir fingers or a stylus, sign for their loan via the ECMapplication?

In the background the ECM takes the loan request, generates aworkflow that pulls a credit report, validates the loan informationand renders a response to both the credit union and the member thattheir loan has been approved, completed, all the necessarydocuments have been assembled, a folder has been created for themember where the documents have been stored and the loan officerresponsible for that member has been notified via email and a linkto the documents that a “sale” had been made over the weekend.

Although this is a very simplified and I am sure, somewhatimprecise scenario of the process. The point is with an ECM systemthere is a lot of automation that is possible on the back end usingthese mobile devices that can streamline this whole operationalprocess.

Now the fun part kicks in. What if that same ECM system was abletweet or post to a social media network that there is a loan salegoing on right now and that a certain number of members havealready taken advantage of it? What if there was a push fornew members and a promotion was offered to members forreferrals?

You get the idea. ECM systems can drive social media appsbecause they offer highly integrated workflow and programcapabilities that can send out notifications, start processes andprograms in the background and then generate messages that can beput out into cyberspace via designated channels.

Does this really exist today? Yes, kind of sort of. Applications are currently being developed that leverage the powerof the mobile devices. However, if the credit union has a true ECM,then the only thing limiting deployment is the imagination andscripting skills of the IT department or their ECM vendor.

As a testament to the power of social media and ECM drivingbehaviors, let me give you one personal example involving a youngswimmer, a fundraiser, and a requirement to sell oranges in themidst of winter.

Last winter I picked my daughter up from her swim class only tofind out we needed to sell $500 worth of oranges to raise funds forthe swim team. I also found out that I had a mere three days to doso.

Enter the power of social media. I logged into my Facebookaccount from my iPhone 4, and sent out a plea for help to sell thenow infamous oranges.

I then sent out a blast via Twitter announcing my orange dilemmathere as well.

Finally, I logged into my company’s email server and sent out acompanywide blast begging for help and forgiveness for using thecompany work email for personal sales. (Better to ask forgivenessafter the fact when your kid is concerned!)

I then texted my wife instructing her to follow the same patternwhich she did. (BTW, we both had our hands slapped for doing so,but in the end it was worth it).

What happened next really illustrated to me the power of usingsocial media channels to promote one’s cause or product if executedcorrectly and with the proper tools and expectations.

In a matter of three short hours, we had orders for the requiredamount of oranges sold and had set up a distribution plan fordeliveries and payments to our victims.

A mere three days after the blasts, we delivered the oranges andraised the required amount of funding and then some as orders keepcoming in from those who only check their accountsperiodically.

So you decide, can ECM drive social media and help the creditunions extend their services and reach members in a positive,productive and cost efficient manner?

If you see what it can do for a little girl selling oranges inthe middle of winter using social media channels, imagine thepotential it has for your credit union.

How has your credit union used ECM to drive your social mediaefforts?

Scott Cowan is vicepresident of sales and marketing at Millennial Vision Inc. in SaltLake City, Utah.