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Synergent’s mission is to ‘help credit unions succeed and improve the financial lives of their members.’ In our monthly Employee Spotlight series, we feature one of our dedicated staff members to help you get to know the people who are working as an extension of your credit union team.
Anne Bunker
Anne Bunker, Customer Service Specialist at Synergent, has spent four years striving to meet credit union needs. She has enjoyed many aspects of her job in the process.
“A normal day for me starts with getting on the phone so I can be ready to answer any credit union questions that come my way!” expressed Bunker. “I’m always there and ready to support, whether it’s via phone, email, or My Synergent cases. We pride ourselves on responding to our credit unions quickly, even if we have to take the time to research a question. The credit unions know we’re on top of things for them and really appreciate it!”
She detailed that, typically, she assists with payments-related questions on anything from checks to credit and debit cards.
“We also process chargebacks for over 60 of our credit union clients, so much of our time is spent processing, tracking, and informing credit unions on the status of these chargebacks,” explained Bunker. “We’ll typically have over 2,000 chargebacks in process at any given time, so, as you can imagine, it’s a lot to keep track of!”
People First: The Credit Union Difference
The Customer Service department was not always home for Bunker, though, as her career with Synergent began elsewhere.
“I originally was hired in Check Processing, but after a month, I knew it wasn’t the role for me,” said Bunker. “I was graciously able to move into Customer Service, first on the checks side and now on the cards side. I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity to explore different roles at Synergent and find what fit best for me!”
Bunker decided a role on the cards side would pique her interest more, “because there’s so much to learn and explore, and it’s constantly changing.” There’s never a dull moment having to always keep up with new regulations, tools, and products that are released.
“I’ve worked at both banks and credit unions in the past, both on the floor and in the back office,” informed Bunker. “Once I moved from the typical bank experience over to credit unions, I haven’t looked back. The personal touch and localized support that credit unions offer their members is invaluable, and I’m happy to be a part of that journey for our credit unions.”
Beyond Service: Building Trust for Credit Union Success
Developing both a professional, supportive relationship as well as a personal, caring relationship with customers is important to Bunker and the Customer Service team.
“Being in Customer Service, I have a direct connection with credit unions,” said Bunker. “I talk to many of the same people on a daily basis, and I get to learn not just their work style, but also about their lives, and it makes the relationship all the more special to me. I know so many of our credit union staff by voice and name alone, and it’s great to have that personal connection and trust. It’s always nice to hear from credit unions that they’re happy they got me on the line, as they know I’ll be able to answer their questions!”
For Bunker, it’s exciting to always have something fresh and new to learn at work. In helping credit unions find answers through research, she often broadens her personal understanding and knowledge.
“There was so much about the back end of payments that I didn’t fully understand before joining Synergent,” shared Bunker. “Working at Synergent gives a unique perspective because we partner with so many credit unions and it really gives you a macro idea of how our systems impact credit unions and their members. For example, after digging deeper into the fraud tools offered on our debit card side, I have a much better appreciation of how all the different systems work together to prevent fraud while giving credit union members the best experience possible.”
Bunker is proud of the work she puts forth, especially through the Customer Service department’s current transition—work that will help set Synergent’s credit unions up for success from the start.
“We’re currently working through a big transition over to a new product for chargebacks, Dispute Expert, and I’ve been digging into the program to learn every little bit and nuance so I can properly train our credit unions,” detailed Bunker. “It’s certainly interesting to be on the ground floor of a new product rollout, and I’m excited to introduce it to our credit unions and build a training program so that they can use it to their advantage!”
Empowering Credit Unions Through Knowledge
Training for credit unions has been at the forefront of her mind recently in several areas.
“Recently, I’ve created and presented a number of trainings on chargebacks, card fraud, and new hire training, as well as in-depth training on our payments systems for credit unions,” explained Bunker. “It’s been great to offer this to credit unions and the reception has been amazing! Helping credit unions understand the tools at their disposal helps them better serve their members and strengthens their relationship with us here at Synergent. I’m excited to keep improving my training in the coming year and helping even more credit unions.”
When she is not serving Synergent’s credit union customers, Bunker looks forward to relaxing with her cats and working on personal projects like drawing. She hopes to get into sewing this year, as well, and considers herself “very much a homebody,” enjoying the peace and comfort home brings.
“On my desk is a plaque that says, ‘I work hard so my cat can have a better life,’” shared Bunker. “I live for my kitties!”
