A Roadmap for Customer-First Experiences

The ultimate goal and guiding force at BECU is improving the financial well-being of members in the communities it serves. But, financial wellness means different things to different consumers. Financial providers need to start by understanding their consumers and needs on a deeper level. 

Jason Rudman, executive vice president and Chief Member and Digital Experience Officer at BECU shared what his team does to create customer-first experiences at the 2025 Money Experience Summit. Watch the full conversation here and read on for three key highlights:

1. Listen More, Talk Less

“We have two of those and one of these,” Jason said, pointing to his ears then mouth, meaning that financial providers should listen more than they talk to fully understand consumers and their needs. 

MX research found that 67% of consumers expect their financial provider to know them. Luckily, financial providers have the data that tells them more about who their customers are, what they are going through in their lives, and what personalized products or services they may need to find success on their financial journey. And, consumers want financial providers to use this data to deliver a better experience. 

“But that's about listening to the needs of the community, particularly marginalized communities and figuring out how [our team] can put them on a path from financial access, encourage them to get to financial freedom, and again, put them on that path to creating lasting, durable, generational wealth.” -Jason Rudman, EVP and Chief Member and Digital Experience Officer, BECU

2. Prioritize Goals

Staying on top of changing regulations. Implementing AI strategies. Replacing legacy systems. There is no shortage of projects that financial professionals may need to prioritize.

In order to prioritize the onslaught of tasks, Jason shared how his team has implemented a strategy on a page (SoaP) document to guide their decision making. This single page SoaP lists goals and priorities so that the team can stay aligned on priorities — and say “not right now” if suggested initiatives don’t tie in to the year’s overall goals.

3. Iterative Engagement

Jason shared how BECU branched out into a new geographic area — Spokane, Washington. At first, BECU kept doing what had brought it success in the Seattle area. This didn’t produce the results it expected, so it set out to do something new.

After looking for ways BECU could adequately show up for the Spokane community, the credit union decided to help fund a new open air farmer’s market. Showing up for the community in ways that mattered had a great impact and allowed BECU to flourish in a new market.

Things that have once worked won’t always be the best solution. Financial providers that are willing to be flexible and adaptable to new situations will better exceed consumer expectations in new ways.