We're excited to start off the new year with our January AllStar, Kristina. Kristina joined AllSouth six years ago and has been at our Parklane branch since the beginning of her career with AllSouth.
Kristina started as a teller, and over time and with an eagerness to learn, she gradually transitioned into a member service role where she was able to assist members with account opening and account servicing. Constant reading up on procedures and observing other team members led to her being promoted to a member service representative II position that allows her to assist members with loan applications.
At the time we were interviewing Kristina for her AllStar article, our new Parklane location at 8352 Parklane Road had just opened within a few miles from our original location at 7227 Parklane Road. Kristina, along with her team, was buzzing with excitement for the new branch. "It feels like getting a new home and a way to start a new history of our own,” Kristina said. “It is such a beautiful building, and we are all very grateful for the opportunity to continue providing our members with great service at our new location."
"I have worked with Kristina for a number of years and have seen firsthand her professional growth within the company. She has also been someone you can depend on to help you in any capacity when asked. I am very fortunate to have Kristina on my team." - Carla, Regional Manager
Kristina finds her job to be extremely rewarding as she plays an integral role in our members’ financial literacy. By taking her time during each interaction, members feel comfortable asking questions and know Kristina is taking the time to truly listen to their needs. Whether assisting with a question related to their account or helping them open a new account, Kristina's goal with every interaction is to ensure the member walks away happy with the service they received. Over the years, those interactions have laid the foundation for her having repeat members who look forward to working with her again.
Kristina's approach to member service is to take a "no" and turn it into a "not yet." If a member doesn't qualify for a particular loan or account, she works with them to create a plan to help them work towards achieving their goal. During tax season, Kristina said she sees an increase in Share and Certificate Secured Loans. Since these loans are secured by your AllSouth Savings account or AllSouth Certificate, she explained that members are more likely to apply for these loans if they’ve received a tax refund and have extra money to use as collateral for the loan. These loans can be a good option for members with limited credit history or for members trying to rebuild credit.
"Kristina and I have worked together for several years, even outside of AllSouth. I’ve always known her to be the 'go-to' person as she makes it a point to learn as much as she can. Her knowledge, in combination with her positive attitude towards assisting both members and staff alike, shows her willingness to always help whenever and wherever she is needed."- Ciera, Branch Manager
Kristina's "here to help" attitude has earned her the title of "Walking MSR (Member Service Representative) Help" at her branch. Other team members know they can count on Kristina to either have the answer or know where to find it. She finds that this is not only beneficial to the team and members, but the Credit Union as a whole. She has served as a trainer for new tellers as well as for tellers transitioning into a member service position. When other locations are short-staffed, Kristina steps in to assist. Through her travels to other branches, she's had the opportunity to get to know other team members and values the bond they have built. Kristina said she truly loves working at AllSouth and sees herself here for the long run.
Work-life balance is extremely important to Kristina. She leaves work at work and home at home. When she's not in the office, Kristina enjoys spending time with her 12-year-old son and two dogs, a husky mix and a lab mix. She enjoys playing video games like SIMS and Monster Hunter. Kristina has been an avid horse rider since the age of three. Her grandparents owned a farm and her grandfather even competed in barrel racing. One day, Kristina hopes to have a farm with pigs and horses. Traveling to Asia, especially Japan, is on her bucket list.
We look forward to seeing more from this AllStar in the future.