
A road trip detour: “meeting our members where they are”
We all want to take vacations filled with fun and unforgettable memories.
For two Dupaco members, their road trip took an unexpected turn—literally.
On their way from Wisconsin to Colorado, their car hydroplaned on a Nebraska interstate, leaving them shaken and with a totaled vehicle. Thankfully, their auto insurance came through, providing a rental so they could continue their trip.
Once they arrived in Colorado, reality set in and they decided to purchase a vehicle at that time instead of waiting until they returned home.
That’s when they turned to Dupaco.
The couple called and was connected with Tyler Roush, a Member Service Representative at the Marion, Iowa, branch.
“This was a stressful situation for them, but they handled it with great communication throughout the entire process,” Tyler said. “They kept me in the loop as they went from dealer to dealer, test-driving vehicles and getting quotes.
“They made a decision on a vehicle pretty quick, and I had them approved for a loan so they could turn around and continue on their vacation,” said Tyler.
But with the dealership closing soon and the final steps of the sales underway, the process was becoming a bit more complicated.
“This is when we stepped in,” said Tyler.
As with any major purchase, there were a lot of details to navigate. And, with the couple being away from home and in need of a vehicle, they were asking for guidance to ensure they were making the best financial decision.
“I reached out to the dealership’s finance department to help clarify the details and make sure everything aligned with what was best for our members,” Tyler said. “With so much happening at once, the couple was feeling overwhelmed, and we wanted to make sure they had the support they needed.”
Teamwork makes it happen
To ensure the members could get back on the road and continue on their vacation, Tyler reached out to a few more Dupaco employees to lend a helping hand.
“I worked with Rich (Younts), Sherokee (Sellers) and Kaitlin (Rose) in our Coralville and Cedar Rapids Edgewood branches,” said Tyler. “We knew we were working on a tight time frame, so we stayed late that night to finish up the loan. While I was working directly with the members and the dealership, Sherokee and Rich finished the loan paperwork, and Kaitlin prepped and dropped off the envelope for a next-day delivery at 9:21 am in Colorado.”
Thankfully, the check was delivered on time and the Dupaco members were able to complete their purchase and safely continue on their road trip.
“Tyler did such a great job orchestrating this situation for our members,” said Sherokee. “I’m proud to be a part of the Dupaco team. This was a real-life example of how we’re able to meet our members where they are.”