Last week we began earnestly testing the new SMS product though our MemberDirect Integrated (MDI) channel. MDI is the Internet banking product developed by BC Central Credit Union which is used by a majority of BC credit unions. The product has usage by other credit unions across Canada. The SMS product is being championed by 3 credit unions, Mt. Lehman included and will be rolled out to the system (one by one) within the next few months. We are fortunate to be in this first group.
So now we need to name the product. It seems, at this point, there won’t be a system wide name like MemberCard. That is unfortunate but really a byproduct of our current credit union co-operative system. We will co-operate as long as there is no dilution to our own “brands”. For a credit union our size does it really matter?
Anyway back to our naming-the-product. I invited input from all 10 staff members and we came up with some pretty good names. We all understood the product (don’t forget we have had a SMS alert system for transactions called MemberNote for close to 3 years now) so the discussions really involved exactly what the product did and that is was a new and separate product that was different from MemberNote. We didn’t want to confuse the two as they served two distinct purposes. Discussions like these, at this level, are a neat attribute of this credit union. Everyone gets involved, everyone has input. But we got stuck. And the difference was generational. The younger staff aligned under one name, the older under another. Both had remarkable points as to why one was better than the other. What to do?
Over the last months there is a group, well it really isn’t a group it is an undefined bunch of people associated with credit unions that actively twitter. Why not throw this one out to the pack of experts and see what comes up? There were some great suggestions but one stood out (thank you Ron ! ) Textus. This was proposed to the group and was quickly accepted. We now have a new name for a new product.
When I look at this process it is so simple. I imagine we “should” have hired the experts, done the focus groups, etc. etc. etc. Would they have understood the product enough to come up with any better names? It just seems so fitting that the name came through Twitter. An tech name for a tech product from a tech bunch of people.
Tinfoiling 
I like the name “Textus” – concise and easily understood. I saw your tweet asking for input on potential names for the new SMS product. I was typing in my thoughts when Shevs tweets with “Textus”. I stopped typing. Selected the text I just entered. Pressed “delete”.
I like ‘Textus.’ It’s short, relevant, clever. And there are only two trademarks on file with the USPTO, one of which is dead and the other is for first aid kits.
Ron Shevlin came up with this? Brilliant.
Or did Caleb come up with the name, and Ron just get the ™®?
😉