Business of the Week: Delta Community Credit Union Wins Citizen’s Choice for Everyday Banking

More than half of Fayette County households have at least one member who banks with Delta Community Credit Union.

That is a remarkable reach in a county with plenty of banking choices. And it helps explain why local voters selected Delta Community as The Citizen’s Choice Award winner for “Who’s Your Go-To for Everyday Banking?”

The Citizen’s Choice Awards, powered by the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, were nominated and voted on by local residents.

For Pam Davis, Delta Community’s Senior Vice President of Branch Delivery and Operations, the recognition comes down to something much more personal than the size of the credit union.

“We pride ourselves in offering superior customer service,” Davis said. “Very often, what I hear from members is, when I go into the branch, they all know my name. They greet me with a smile. I’m not an account number or just a transaction.”

Davis has her own long connection to the community.

“I’m very familiar with Fayetteville and Fayette County,” she said. “I lived in Fayetteville for a very long time, and my daughter actually graduated from Fayette County High School, and I worked at one of our locations there in Peachtree City for quite a while.”

A large local footprint

Delta Community’s presence in Fayette County goes back more than two decades.

In 2003, it opened its first community branch in Peachtree City at Braelinn Village Shopping Center. At the time, the credit union was still known as Delta Employees Credit Union; it became Delta Community Credit Union in 2005 as its membership expanded beyond its traditional Delta Air Lines base.

As its field of membership expanded, Delta Community opened a Fayetteville branch at Summit Point and another Peachtree City location on Wisdom Road. That Peachtree City facility also houses administrative operations with more than 100 employees.

Today, Delta Community has three locations in Fayette County and two in Coweta County.

Its local connection extends well beyond those buildings. More than 200 Delta Community employees live in Fayette or Coweta counties. More than half of Fayette County households include at least one Delta Community member, while more than 40% of Coweta County households do.

In Fayette County alone, Davis said Delta Community also has about 1,500 business accounts.

“Fayette County really holds a very special place in our credit union’s history,” Davis said. “It’s really a privilege for us to operate in Fayette County, and we’re really pleased that their residents are turning to us for their banking needs.”

What makes a credit union different

For people accustomed to using the words “bank” and “credit union” interchangeably, Davis said there is an important structural difference.

Delta Community customers are members of the credit union. Unlike a traditional bank owned by shareholders, a credit union operates as a not-for-profit cooperative.

“We make sure that we’re offering products and services that our members want and need,” Davis said, “and we’re really focused on ensuring that we give good financial services, good advice, and also to make sure that our advice we’re doing is very trusted.”

That structure can affect loan and savings rates and fees, although Davis was careful not to suggest Delta Community will always have the lowest rate available.

“Sometimes, absolutely,” she said when asked whether membership can mean lower loan rates. “I’m not going to say we’re always the lowest rate out there, but we try to provide good rates.”

She said the credit union also keeps a close eye on fees and savings rates while offering the range of products members expect for everyday financial needs.

Banking before and after branch hours

Delta Community has also worked to expand what “going to the bank” means.

Its Live Teller machines allow members to connect by video with an actual Delta Community teller from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., extending access beyond regular branch hours. The machines can handle most teller transactions, including check cashing and dispensing cash and coin.

“You can use it as an ATM machine, or you can use it as an interactive teller machine,” Davis said. “If you click on the interactive teller link, then a teller pops up, a live person.”

For members who need help outside those hours, Delta Community also staffs its Member Care Center by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Community is part of the name

Davis also pointed to Delta Community’s involvement outside its branches.

The credit union recently hosted a financial education program for more than 400 students at Fayette County High School and supported STEAM initiatives at North Fayette Elementary School.

Its high school apprentice program offers juniors and seniors the opportunity to apply for paid, part-time teller positions while gaining real-world work experience. Delta Community has also maintained a longstanding relationship with the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and regularly supports education-focused programs and scholarships.

“Community is really part of our name, Delta Community,” Davis said.

For a financial institution serving such a large percentage of the area, however, Davis said the goal is still for an individual walking through the door to feel known.

“Our mission is to be Metro Atlanta’s preferred place to bank,” Davis said, “and this recognition really reflects our commitment to providing superior member service.”