Digital Luring Members With Free Coffee, Internet

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – The $2.1 billion Digital Federal Credit Union is providing both members and non-members with free coffee and Internet access at four of its branches in an attempt to introduce more people to the credit union’s online services. At the four branches, members or nonmembers can use the Internet via high speed internet connections and sip fresh, free coffee when they do so, according to a story in the Littleton Independent, the local paper in Littleton Massachusetts. The Littleton Digital branch is one of the four with the service. Each branch has three private spaces with the computers and printers and a coffee maker to service the three. Members can use the machines to access Digital’s site or to surf generally, although the credit union has disabled some browser features and set up filters to limit some Internet content. “We could show people how it works, answer questions and let them come in and use it,” the paper quoted Tim Garner, vice president of marketing for the credit union. He explained that branch staff is expected to do a certain number of demonstrations each month. The story also reported that the technique appeared to be working, 55%of the credit union’s membership uses its Internet banking. -