[Updated August 2025]
As more financial institutions shrink their branch networks, call centers are becoming the front line for member support. But for credit unions to keep delivering great service, something important needs to happen:
Call centers and branches need to work as one team.
That’s where Better Lobby comes in.
One Appointment Calendar, Many Ways to Help
When a member calls to book or change an appointment, they shouldn’t have to wait until morning to hear back from a branch.
With Better Lobby’s Appointment Calendar, call center staff can book or update appointments instantly, just like in-branch staff. Everyone shares the same easy-to-use scheduling tool.
This works across every appointment type:
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In-person
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Video meeting
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Phone call
Better Lobby also supports custom appointment types, so your team can stay aligned no matter what the member needs.
Why It Matters
When your call center and branch staff share the same tools:
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Members get faster, more consistent service
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Staff are more efficient, no matter where they work
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There’s less confusion, missed appointments, or duplicated effort
Added Bonus: Video Rooms and Remote Service
Better Lobby’s Flexible Branch Video Module makes it easy to set up video appointments between members and staff—whether they’re in the same building or across the state.
With new video rooms, you can even dedicate quiet spaces at your branches for scheduled virtual meetings with off-site team members.
Key Takeaway
The future of member service is blended.
Your branch and call center teams should work from the same playbook. With Better Lobby’s shared appointment tools and video meeting features, it’s easier than ever to offer seamless, professional service—no matter where your members are.
The following section is the original post from October 2013. While some product names and screenshots may be outdated, we’ve kept it here for historical reference.
Industry analysts predict that call center volumes will increase as some financial institutions reduce their branch networks. If that is the case, these two channels must become more closely integrated – the “universal banker” in the branch must be supported by the “universal agent” in the call center.
Just as the branch of the future will certainly become more sales-oriented, the contact center must as well. To pave the way for this cooperation, we developed the Better Lobby Appointment Calendar. This affordable and easy-to-use solution helps standardize all member-facing branch employees on a single scheduling application. For example if a member contacts the call center after branch hours to change an appointment, it can be done right then, on the spot!
Key Takeaway: The branch and the contact center must work together to better serve members at their convenience, and this scenario is greatly facilitated by an enterprise-wide, branch specific appointment calendar for each employee.