President's Message
“Signs, signs, everywhere a sign.” It seems that everything old is new again. Governor Lamont’s adoption of the recent CDC guidance regarding mask requirements has caused many of us (including Connecticut’s chief operating officer Josh Geballe) to recall the days of “no shirt, no shoes, no service” by noting that, “everyone has the choice not to answer [the vaccination question] or go shop somewhere else,” said Geballe. This is nothing new. For many years now, American individuals have peacefully coexisted with American businesses exercising their (admittedly limited) right to prohibit or require certain activities on their property (No Browsing, No Loitering, No Parking, Employees Only, etc.).
This latest governmental public health guidance gives precious little detail or instruction to business owners about how to go about reopening their public space or which policies they should adopt for their own employees. The effect of all the corporate handwringing is a patchwork of approaches and little to no uniformity. Consider that some major well known businesses have essentially done away with mask requirements. Others continue to require everyone to mask up. Still others have required customers to show proof of vaccination despite the open question of whether such a policy is legal. At least one national brand has done away with in person browsing and only offers curbside pickup. For all this uncertainty, businesses may be starting to lean towards the honor system — asking non vaccinated people to wear a mask but not enforcing the policy. Such a situation can be maddeningly confusing for consumers and businesses alike.
How are you handling this latest plot twist in the horror novel called Coronavirus?
Leaving the answer aside, what is the best way to approach the question?
As a general matter, businesses that know their customers well can adapt to change and resume normal operations more easily than those that do not. How well do you know your members? Are they mostly healthcare workers or teachers and, therefore, more likely to be vaccinated? Does their average age suggest a greater or lesser concentration of vaccination? What anecdotal evidence have you collected from your drive through traffic or in your member service centers? Are the vaccination rates consistent across the geographic distribution of your membership? Knowing how to segment and analyze your membership will help you decide which policies to enact and how to apply them consistently.
As we enter this new phase of pandemic recovery, however you decide to reopen, now is a perfect time to track your members’ experience and get to know them just a little better.
Mask Policy Survey: Please complete this brief survey related to how your credit union is responding to the updated mask guidance.
As always,
Bruce
