BY BRIDGET McCREA

The Member Advocacy Center plays an important role in the overall American Airlines Federal Credit Union operations as a resource that helps members with their dayto-day banking needs. The Credit Union has also helped shepherd them through the pandemic by answering escalated calls and special requests.

Whether they want to apply for a mortgage, file a fraud claim or order a new debit card, members have the center to rely on as a first point of contact. “We have general knowledge of pretty much every department,” said Kylie Cope, department coach. “We’re a one-stop shop.”

Each day, the center takes member calls and checks in on team members. “Especially now during COVID, we reach out to them and make sure they’re still doing OK,” said Cope, who joined the Credit Union as a Member Service representative in 2009, and then later transitioned into online banking. She assumed her current role about a year and a half ago.

During the early stages of the pandemic, Cope and her team worked to create space between the center’s team members, spreading them out across five different floors in a brand-new building. The department also ensured operations were still running despite the disruption. For example, while it was still receiving incoming posted mail, the center assigned just one person to the mail distribution task to ensure that only one pair of hands touched the mail for safety precautions.

With many of associates now equipped with laptops and working remotely, Cope and her team help with device troubleshooting on minor issues and also follow up with associates who have been out of work for multiple days. “We try to take on as much as possible in order to limit the burden on our staff,” Cope said. “We also try to keep things as ‘normal’ as possible for them and let them know that we’re here for them.”

In the future, Cope would like to move up in the organization, where she enjoys the travel benefits and the family-like work atmosphere. “We’re in the American Airlines family, but the Credit Union itself is much smaller — it’s a very close-knit group,” Cope said. “Everywhere I turn in our building, I see a friendly face.”