Once you walk in the door, it only takes a few seconds to see Sunova Credit Union's strategy for differentiating itself from the competition.
The Selkirk-based financial co-operative has just hired its three highest-profile employees for a trio of new branches. The three, which are training for their positions as directors of greetings (D.O.G.), aren't your run-of-the-mill employees - they're St. Bernard puppies.
They're following in the paw prints of Takoda, a five-year-old St. Bernard, which Sunova has employed at its Selkirk branch since 2006.
Vanessa Foster, Sunova's director of marketing, said its executive team wanted a large, gentle breed to greet customers as they entered the branch.
Sunova opened a new location in Winnipeg's North End in January, while another one on Main Street and a third in Oak Bank are scheduled to open their doors in March.
Foster said it didn't take long for Takoda to become the face of Sunova. In fact, it has become known as "the credit union with the dog." She has a bed near the front entrance and has been trained to remain in the branch and not wander into the adjacent head office. She has also been used in advertising campaigns and ridden on parade floats.
"We have members who come in to see the dog and we have people who have transferred their business to us because of Takoda," Foster said.
from Western Investor, March 2011
