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Banking & Finance
Lending a Hand
For Banks, COVID-19 Disruption Leads to Innovation
SBy Mark Morris
ometimes being thrown into a challenging situ- ation leads to ... well, a good idea or two. Or at least a new way of thinking.
Back in March, when COVID-19 first hit, banks and credit unions in Massachusetts were desig-
nated essential businesses by Gov. Charlie Baker. That meant making sure everyone had access to their accounts while, at the same time, limiting in-person banking to appointments only, complete with masks, social distancing, and frequent sanitizing protocols.
“It forced us to think outside the box and to figure out the best ways to serve our members during a time of reduced access,” said Kara Herman, vice president, Retail Adminis- tration with Freedom Credit Union, adding that her team set out to first communicate all the options members had available to them to get business done without going inside a branch.
BusinessWest spoke with several local bank and credit- union professionals about the challenge of making adjust-
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