Business View Magazine | December 2020

197 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 MERCED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FEDERAL CREDI T UNION consolidation, as well as the standard savings and checking accounts. Deavours reports, “We have fifteen ATMs located throughout the community area. We offer our classic Visa Credit Card at the low rate of 10.75 APR. We offer real estate loans that don’t require Private Mortgage Insurance. I’m not aware of any other financial institution in our area that offers mortgage loans without PMI. Prospective Merced homeowners are guaranteed the most efficient processing on home and auto loans with less red tape. We’re the home town credit union. All of our branches are within Merced County. All the decisions are made here. There is not a corporate office where loan applications have to be sent to get final approval.” At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, MSEFCU continued to offer service from its brick-and-mortar branches by increasing safety measures, reducing lobby hours, and ensuring social distancing among staff and patrons. “We have been open during the entire pandemic,” says Deavours. “Continuing in-person service is of the utmost importance. Before the pandemic, for some members, generally our older members, their social event any given day is to come to the credit union. If they want to come in and do business in person and want to walk out with a deposit receipt, our branches and all our employees are here to serve.” The credit union has also instituted loan relief services for members who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and for those experiencing lost or reduced income due to the coronavirus. Relief services include delayed payment, waiving fees, increases on a line-of- credit, or taking on a low interest loan with no payment due for 60 days. While MSEFCU delivers a personal touch with their member service, it also offers its members the same technological services as their larger competitors. During the pandemic, they’ve highly promoted their electronic services to make sure that members who weren’t aware of them prior, or weren’t using them prior, know about