Come October 16 this year, he will close them for good.
Like many of its kind, Cobram’s CMCU office has not been immune to the economic devastation caused by COVID-19 and the decision has been made to close the branch next month.
With emotional ties to the branch, Mr Pattinson was heavy-hearted in breaking the news, with two staff members to be made redundant.
“We are absolutely devastated at what we are having to do. The whole banking sector has changed dramatically in recent years anyway, and the focus on digital banking has escalated,” he said.
“It is a horrible decision to have to make, but we’ve got to look at the things that work best for the industry.
“We are not the only ones who are going to be forced into making harsh decisions, that is for sure.”
Mr Pattinson has been at the Cobram office from start to finish, which makes the closure all the more hard.
“I have run the credit union for the past 25 years personally. I opened Cobram and it was a great opportunity for us to move forward,” he said,
“It is with deep regret that we have to do these sorts of things, we pride ourselves on being a small community entity who are able to provide for our customers.”
Due to technological advancements, internet banking has evolved rapidly in recent years.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated the frequency in which digital methods are used – a contributing factor in the closure of the Cobram CMCU office, according to Mr Pattinson.
“In recent times 90 per cent of transactions are conducted digitally anyway,” he said.
“Lockdowns have meant that people are doing everything from home and that has enhanced that change to digital banking tenfold. And there is no sign of moving out of it, which has meant we have had to adjust.”
“Until we find a cure, we will be in this predicament for a while.”
When Mr Pattinson first heard of COVID-19, like many others, he assumed it was a faraway problem faced by those on the other side of the world.
Now it has become very real – but the CMCU chief executive has made sure the organisation is dedicated to making sure its customers are looked after in adapting to a digital model.
All CMCU members within the Cobram-Barooga area have access to their accounts via Visa Debit Card, Net Banking, Phone Banking and through the CMCU App.
“I’m personally devastated, but our incentive is to make sure we are contactable by all our members wherever they are,” Mr Pattinson said.
“Many strong relationships have developed between members and organisations during this time and it is our intention to continue these relationships.
“We are trying to do the best thing for all of our members so we can provide a service for them.”
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