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Like many of the physical spaces we frequented before the pandemic began, the credit union branch can be associated with a form of longing – longing for the days when we could enter a public place without wearing a mask, when our only concern about a crowded business was how long the wait might be, and where we could strike up a conversation with a stranger without worrying about stepping too close to them.

While digital tools have done a fine job of allowing us to complete functional tasks without having to go out in public, entering a physical, shared space delivers a sort of magic that can’t be replicated online. Walk inside a business, and the combination of colors, designs, scents and sounds that have been carefully selected for the space will influence the way you perceive that business’s brand. Interact with others, and you’ll have the advantage of interpreting non-verbal cues and body language, build chemistry and develop relationships – all things that are difficult to achieve over a screen. And of course, there won’t be any awkward moments of technology going awry, like frozen screens and dropped connections.

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Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.

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