After a century and a half of operation of the cooperative system, it has been concluded that the application of the concept of "customer service" so widespread and suggested at the level of business management, for our savings and credit cooperatives, and Of the other types, it is not just a marketing strategy to survive. That is its reason for being, it is the natural development of its essence and its fundamental purpose. A cooperative owes itself to its members, and this even exceeds the concept of "customer" in the science of marketing.
However, providing quality services to members is not only a matter of adopting a series of recipes or attitudes or the result of improvisation or luck. To provide quality services, it is necessary to have a high-quality organizational structure, as well as personnel who enjoy good health -physical and mental-, who can handle themselves with emotional intelligence, who can communicate and interact with speed and coherence, which It will surely allow to have a good image, a high level of reliability and leadership conditions. That is and should be the case with our cooperatives. If the institution is well configured, has a clear vision of the future, and inside, the work environment is enriching and prone to development and human respect, there are communication systems in all senses;then, providing quality services and generating an image of high reliability will be a natural manifestation.
The human person is the fundamental axis of the cooperative company, our partners are characterized by being both proprietary members and users of the services; With greater support, the provision of quality services and a permanent vocation of customer service aimed at members and family members must be strengthened with adequate marketing and loyalty strategies. Not only are promotional sweepstakes or raffles required, which are actually very attractive; If not, there must be a constant practice of excellent treatment, adequate information, and the search for actions that generate a greater cooperative identity, in addition to an intensive cooperative education, training and information program. Communication with our partners is a vital task in this search for identity and image of cooperatives. Publicize our achievements and benefits, equally,It should be a shared responsibility at the elementary level and of the second and third grade organizations.
Still pending on the cooperative agenda is an institutional communication strategy that promotes the recovery of a positive and responsible image of the determined economic participation of Cooperatives in the development of the country., and even more so in this situation of financial crisis that is coming, informing the Community in general, of how the Cooperative System in other latitudes has been contributing to overcoming economic crises, improving the progress and well-being of its members and communities, to disseminate the thousands of successful cases of cooperative companies in all countries, both developed and developing. Who but only we should "market" our brand, this crisis is one more opportunity to do so. But this implies, to demonstrate in practice our difference with commercial companies, with the State, with the application of our values and principles and punctually that orientation of customer service that is inherent to our cooperative philosophy.Solidarity, mutual aid, equality, a vocation for service, participation, are very solid arguments of the willingness of cooperatives to “serve the partner, the client, the user, the family, the community, our country".
