The Innovation Series is celebrating 2026 with a diverse slate of finalists whose breakthroughs are reshaping member experience, data and business intelligence, lending, employee engagement, fraud prevention, and digital member engagement — all with the power to help credit unions thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Register for the Innovations In Fraud Prevention And Resolution webinar on Thursday, March 17th at 2PM EST.

Read on to learn more about this year’s finalists in fraud prevention and reduction: illuma, Quavo, Quinte, TTEC Digital.

illuma

Describe your innovation.

Illuma’s latest fraud risk flagging feature closes a critical gap in credit union contact center fraud-management operations by extending IllumaSHIELD beyond authentication into real-time fraud risk awareness and response. The solution blends human insight with automated pattern detection, allowing agents and AI to collaboratively flag risky accounts, phone numbers, and voiceprints as threats emerge. When flagged activity is encountered, agents receive instant alerts, while supervisors and fraud teams can review, manage, and act on risk indicators through a centralized portal — eliminating manual reporting and disconnected monitoring processes.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

Credit union contact centers remain a prime target for increasingly sophisticated fraud. While technologies like IllumaSHIELD have transformed member authentication, many institutions still rely on slow, manual, and fragmented processes — emails, chat messages, spreadsheets, or institutional memory — to report and share information about suspected fraud. These ad hoc workflows fail to scale, create blind spots across teams, and leave gaps that fraudsters can exploit.

How does it increase member value?

Fraud risk flagging empowers agents to confidently assist legitimate members while handling higher-risk interactions with appropriate caution. By removing manual reporting burdens and uncertainty, agents stay focused, composed, and efficient — leading to faster resolutions and more consistent member experiences.

For members, the value is twofold: convenience and protection. Legitimate callers experience friction-free phone banking when no risk is present, while suspicious behavior is identified earlier and addressed proactively. The result is greater trust in a holistic voice security approach that safeguards members without compromising accessibility or service quality.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

Unlike many fraud tools that introduce operational complexity, fraud risk flagging is designed to be easy to use, simple to manage, and immediately valuable without requiring dedicated staffing or specialized expertise. The intuitive user interface allows agents and managers to act on risk confidently without adding new workflows, monitoring teams, or manual alert triage.

The solution fits natively into IllumaSHIELD, extending value from an existing deployment rather than layering on another standalone system. It recognizes that agents are a critical part of a credit union’s fraud defense and makes that role easier — allowing them to focus on serving members instead of managing alerts or reports.

Importantly, fraud risk flagging is purpose-built for credit unions of all sizes. It delivers the same protection for low call-volume and smaller operations while scaling seamlessly as demand grows—without customization, lengthy deployments, or additional resources often required by solutions designed primarily for large enterprises.

Quavo

Describe your innovation.

Quavo has introduced Aria, who is our super-agent working within Quavo Fraud and Disputes (QFD), our fraud and dispute management platform. Aria, armed with advanced AI, business logic, and best-in-class integration capability, is constantly at work in the system automating work that is traditionally done manually by users. In addition, Aria also analyzes Quavo’s extensive data repository on past dispute actions and examines user work, recommending actions to take as they are performing their tasks. Aria is a coach, a protector, an automator of work, and a manager of resources, routing the most important work to users.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

Fraud and disputes are a very complex use case at a credit union. When something goes wrong with a payment or a member doesn’t recognize a transaction, it can be difficult to make it right. The challenge is even greater doing this at scale. Aria ensures members receive quick and fair resolutions, creating significantly better outcomes for both the credit union and members alike.

How does it increase member value?

When a member has an issue with a purchase they made or is the victim of fraud, it is a moment that matters in their relationship with their credit union. Aria not only automates large amounts of work, she allows the credit union staff the ability to focus on making the right decisions, making sure that compliance is a given, and focusing on what truly matters: the member experience.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

Quavo has been in this industry for over a decade. We are not just software providers. We are partners, and we are experts at getting to know your business, how you want to treat your members, and how to bring industry best practices into your business. When it comes to AI and innovation, we have created datasets that simply do not exist anywhere else in the industry, which power extremely accurate and tested recommendations and automated actions.

Quinte

Describe your innovation.

Quinte’s flagship solution, CaseHUB, is an AI-driven case management orchestration platform engineered to automate disputes, fraud, and complaints in a centralized cloud-based system. By replacing fragmented and disconnected processes with intelligent orchestration, CaseHUB delivers a configurable, end-to-end solution for enterprise case management on a single, coordinated platform.

The platform is comprised of three modules designed to streamline modern case management:

• CaseHUB For Disputes reduces handling time by up to 40% through end-to-end automation across all payment types, including card, digital, ATM, ACH, EFT, and check. Built-in regulatory timelines ensure compliance, while communications and ledger activity are automated within the platform. Agentic AI further streamlines dispute resolution by auto-triaging and resolving low-risk disputes. Combined, these capabilities are strategically deployed, empowering staff to enhance engagement points with members while safeguarding the credit union.
• CaseHUB For Fraud unifies payment and non-payment fraud into a single investigative workspace. Investigations can be more proactively managed through auto case creation and sound throughputs. Additionally, SAR filing capabilities and link analysis enable teams to identify patterns and trends across related cases. For check fraud, CaseHUB leverages image forensics AI to deliver accurate detection of signature mismatches, amount tampering, and altered items.
• CaseHUB For Complaints strengthens member experience and institutional reputation by offering flexible, configurable intake options that meet members where they are. Credit unions can customize dynamic forms tailored to business lines, risk categories, or workflow needs, ensuring complaints are captured accurately and without friction. Members can submit complaints through mobile, web, email, phone, or at a branch.

CaseHUB brings these innovations together to deliver the best-in-class standard expected from leading financial service providers, backed by Quinte’s business process management and data analytics support.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

Credit unions often struggle with fragmented tools and legacy silos when managing operational cases, particularly in areas like fraud, disputes, and compliance. As volumes and complexity rise, these disjointed systems hinder teams’ ability to maintain consistency, visibility, and control. CaseHUB offers credit unions a powerful opportunity to prioritize meaningful member engagements while adopting a more productive, efficient, and enterprise-wide approach to compliance and operations.

To overcome these challenges, credit unions need a standardized, unified system of work that provides end-to-end visibility, enabling teams to identify, prioritize, and automate high-impact tasks with built-in governance. Quinte Financial Technologies delivers this through CaseHUB, its cloud-based, AI-powered enterprise case management platform. It orchestrates the automation of every case, task, workflow, and audit within a single, intuitive system by streamlining operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing overall efficiency.

By centralizing operations, CaseHUB reduces redundant steps, enforces consistent workflows, and ensures every case aligns with institutional policies and regulatory requirements. Teams gain complete audit trails and cross-departmental visibility.

How does it increase member value?

Quinte knows member trust is paramount for credit unions and that trust weakens when investigations stall or when members receive inconsistent updates due to fragmented, outdated tools. CaseHUB provides avenues for more focused and insightful engagement with members.

CaseHUB addresses this challenge by orchestrating the automation of investigations across all case types within a single, cloud-based system. This exclusive capability, a single investigative workspace, elevates member sentiment by replacing complexity with clarity and consistency across every interaction.

For one of the largest credit unions, CaseHUB closed long-standing gaps between different fraud types. The credit union has adopted CaseHUB specifically to unify fraud investigations, giving teams consistent visibility across related cases that were previously managed in parallel systems.

Another California-based credit union describes CaseHUB as a “gamechanger” for fraud management. By consolidating all fraud case activity into a single system, teams are able to identify emerging patterns quickly, respond more effectively, and improve investigative accuracy through stronger visibility and coordination.

Across both credit unions, the impact is tangible. Members feel protected, issues are resolved faster, and service quality remains strong as volumes grow. By transforming fragmented investigations into coordinated, transparent experiences, CaseHUB enables scalability and reinforces trust at every touchpoint.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

CaseHUB differentiates itself as an enterprise case management platform by bringing cloud-based orchestration and automation to compliance. While most systems focus on a single case management function, CaseHUB manages the full lifecycle for multiple case types from the moment they enter the credit union through final resolution. Additionally, our ServiceDESK is an embedded CaseHUB feature that accelerates resolutions, reduces costs, and scales compliance.

In the current market, most solutions are designed to address only one part of the problem. Some solutions focus on disputes, others on fraud alerts, check analysis, or complaint intake. These systems operate independently and stop short of managing the full investigation and resolution process, leaving credit unions to bridge the gaps with manual handoffs, spreadsheets, and disconnected workflows.

CaseHUB serves as the strategic bridge solution, eliminating swivel-chair moments and replacing multiple tools with a single 360° investigation backbone for the enterprise. Disputes, payment and non-payment fraud, check fraud, and complaints are orchestrated within one system of record, ensuring investigations move seamlessly across teams rather than breaking at system boundaries.

This enterprise foundation also delivers cross-team visibility for leadership. Rather than assembling updates from different platforms, leaders can see case progress, risk exposure, and outcomes across all investigation types in one place, enabling better oversight and prioritization. Customized reports can be generated using built-in business intelligence and delivered to your inbox on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis.

CaseHUB further optimizes execution through AI-driven case summaries and SAR narratives, reducing manual effort while maintaining consistent, audit-ready documentation. Automating cases across the lifecycle results in faster resolution, clear ownership, and traceability that supports operational efficiency at scale.

TTEC Digital

Describe your innovation.

TTEC Digital’s SmartApps Cloud is an intelligent, cloud-based fraud orchestration platform purpose-built for the credit union contact center.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

Rather than relying on a single authentication method, SmartApps Cloud unifies device-, voice-, and identity-verification into a single, seamless workflow that authenticates members in real time, often before an agent even answers the call. What makes SmartApps Cloud innovative is not just the individual technologies, but how they are orchestrated together. By integrating TransUnion Authenticator Plus, VoxEQ voice biometrics, and IDgo device-based authentication, SmartApps Cloud transforms complex, multi-layered fraud defenses into an invisible, automated experience for members. The platform dynamically applies the right level of authentication based on risk, allowing legitimate members to move quickly while stopping sophisticated threats such as AI-driven scams, deepfake voices, and repeat fraudsters. This orchestration-first approach modernizes contact center security, replacing static, knowledge-based authentication with a future-ready, adaptive fraud framework that continuously evolves alongside emerging threats.

How does it increase member value?

SmartApps Cloud enables credit unions to deliver a rare combination members expect but rarely experience: strong security without friction. By authenticating members through passive and password-less methods, SmartApps Cloud dramatically reduces the need for repetitive security questions, long verification times, and call transfers, resulting in faster resolutions and a more respectful member experience.

From a member perspective, the value is immediate and tangible:

• Faster access to help – Many members are verified before the call connects, reducing handle time and frustration.
• Greater peace of mind – Advanced fraud protection reassures members that their financial identity is protected, even against emerging AI-driven threats.
• Consistent, seamless experiences – Authentication feels effortless and transparent, reinforcing trust rather than creating friction.

For credit unions, this translates into stronger member trust, higher satisfaction, and reduced fraud losses — without sacrificing the personalized service model that differentiates them from large banks. SmartApps Cloud allows credit unions to protect what matters most while strengthening the member relationship at every interaction.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

SmartApp’s Cloud combines numerous best-in-market solutions, creating a multilayered fraud prevention solution.

Check Out The Other Innovation Series Categories

• Employee Enablement
• AI-Powered Member Experience
• Data And Decision Intelligence
• Reimagining The Lending Experience
• Digital Member Engagement

The post Meet The Finalists For The 2026 Innovation Series: Fraud Prevention And Resolution appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

The Innovation Series is celebrating 2026 with a diverse slate of finalists whose breakthroughs are reshaping member experience, data and business intelligence, lending, employee engagement, fraud prevention, and digital member engagement — all with the power to help credit unions thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Register for the Innovations In AI Powered Member Experience webinar on Tuesday, March 10th at 2PM EST.

Read on to learn more about this year’s finalists in AI and member experience: BCI-IT, Glia, Switchthink, Talkdesk

BCI-IT, Inc. :

Describe your innovation.

K2 is a production-grade conversational and agentic AI platform purpose-built for credit unions and banks. Powered by Kasisto’s KAIgentic AI and accelerated through Kinective APIs, K2 enables institutions to operationalize AI across member-facing and internal workflows with governance, security, and accuracy designed for regulated environments.

Unlike generic AI tools, K2 integrates directly with core, digital banking, and servicing systems via existing Kinective connectivity, enabling real-time, grounded responses and workflow execution. Its agentic architecture applies policy controls, role-based access, and compliance guardrails before responses are delivered — reducing hallucination risk and supporting auditability, data residency, and regulatory expectations.

K2 provides a faster path from AI strategy to AI in production, leveraging existing infrastructure to deliver measurable outcomes in weeks rather than 12–18 months. For technology leaders, K2 represents a pragmatic, low-risk way to scale AI responsibly while maintaining architectural integrity and compliance.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

Many institutions have experimented with AI but struggle to move into production due to governance concerns, unclear ROI, and lack of enterprise readiness. Cores, digital banking platforms, LOS, and servicing systems were not designed for real-time AI interaction, creating long deployment cycles and high integration risk.

K2 provides a proven, production-ready AI foundation that enables institutions to deploy conversational and agentic AI confidently — without long pilot cycles. By leveraging existing Kinective APIs, K2 dramatically reduces integration effort, allowing teams to launch high-impact use cases in weeks instead of 12–18 months.

Powered by Kasisto’s KAIgentic AI, K2 applies policy controls, compliance checks, and role-based access before responses are delivered — supporting auditability and regulatory alignment. K2 automates high-volume member inquiries and workflows, reducing call center load while delivering faster, more accurate member experiences.

K2 addresses the gap between AI ambition and AI execution. It enables credit unions and banks to deploy secure, compliant, enterprise-grade AI that delivers real operational and member-experience outcomes — without compromising governance, security, or architectural integrity.

How does it increase member value?

1. 1. Faster, Always-On Member Service: K2 enables members to get accurate answers and complete common tasks instantly—24/7—across digital channels. Routine inquiries that previously required a call or branch visit are resolved in seconds, improving convenience and satisfaction.
   2. More Accurate, Context-Aware Responses: Powered by Kasisto’s KAIgentic AI, K2 delivers responses grounded in approved data and real-time system access via Kinective APIs. Members receive answers that reflect their actual accounts, products, and eligibility — not generic responses.
   3. Consistent Experience Across Channels: Whether a member engages via web, mobile, or assisted channels, K2 provides a consistent conversational experience. Members no longer receive conflicting answers depending on where or how they ask.
   4. Faster Issue Resolution with Fewer Transfers: K2’s agentic capabilities can guide members through multi-step processes (e.g., account servicing, loan questions) without bouncing them between departments or queues.
   5. Personalized, Relevant Interactions: By securely accessing member context, K2 can tailor responses and guidance based on individual needs—without exposing sensitive data or violating policy controls.
   6. Improved Access Without Increased Costs: K2 allows credit unions to scale service availability without scaling headcount. Members benefit from expanded access and responsiveness, while the institution maintains cost discipline.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

K2 is differentiated because it closes the gap between AI ambition and AI execution. It delivers governed, compliant, real-time AI that banks and credit unions can deploy quickly and scale confidently—without becoming systems integrators or taking on unnecessary risk.

Glia:

Describe your innovation.

While major financial institutions deploy highly-customized, billion-dollar generative AI platforms, credit unions — the financial backbone of most local communities — face an “AI gap” that threatens their long-term competitiveness and member loyalty.

Glia’s AI is the economic equalizer. It allows credit unions to deploy member service AI sophisticated enough to match or even surpass the capabilities of the big banks, but at a fraction of the cost and in full compliance with regulatory standards.

Glia’s Voice AI automates up to 80% of routine member inquiries, freeing frontline teams to focus on complex interactions. Most importantly, Glia reinforces the trust that defines the credit union-member relationship. Built specifically for banks and credit unions with domain-specific language models (DSLMs), Glia is ready for banking on day one. It can automate over 1,000 credit union-specific tasks with a zero-hallucination guarantee, positioning Glia as the secure, authoritative AI partner for the credit union movement.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

While megabanks invest billions in proprietary AI, most credit unions are forced to rely on aging technology that puts them at a severe competitive disadvantage. The stakes of operating with subpar technology go beyond market share — it is a matter of mission. When a member waits on hold or cannot get help after hours, the trust that defines the credit union relationship erodes.

By replacing costly BPOs and providing 24/7 service with purpose-built banking AI, Glia doubles frontline capacity, returning significant cost and time savings to the organization.

With Glia’s AI handling routine tasks around the clock, frontline teams are empowered to focus on high-value conversations that cement member loyalty: loan guidance, financial wellness, and life milestones.

How does it increase member value?

With Glia’s AI platform, members experience dramatically shorter wait times, fewer dropped calls, and 24/7 service availability — whether they reach out by phone, online, or through a mobile app, ensuring a credit union can always be there for members, whenever and wherever they need help.

Glia frees staff to spend more time on the conversations members want and need to have with humans: loan guidance, debt questions, budgeting support, and other high-touch needs. The result is a more personalized, supportive service experience.

By eliminating operational strain, the capacity Glia returns to the organization can be reinvested in strategic, high-impact activities like reducing fees, enhancing member offerings, and developing local programs. This enables the credit union to equalize its cost structure while actively strengthening the unique community bond it shares with its members.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

Glia is the only end-to-end, channelless AI platform built exclusively for financial institutions. While generic AI tools can be a liability for credit unions — plagued by “hallucinations” and a 95% pilot failure rate — Glia provides a turnkey solution that delivers measurable impact in weeks, not months. With three times more banks and credit unions on our platform than the nearest competitor, our scale and specialization are unmatched.

Ultimately, Glia exists to help credit unions achieve their mission of empowering communities. We do not just offer a tool; we provide the foundation for a future where technology strengthens, rather than replaces, the unique human bond between a credit union and its members.

SwitchThink:

Describe your innovation.

SwitchThink AI Assist is an AI-powered conversational virtual assistant for voice and digital channels, purpose-built for credit unions. Developed in collaboration with boost.ai, it delivers secure, compliant and context-aware member and staff interactions while integrating seamlessly with Corelation’s KeyStone core. SwitchThink provides not only the technology, but also full lifecycle management — configuration, integration, optimization and continuous enhancement — ensuring sustained performance and value.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

Credit unions face rising member expectations for 24/7 digital service alongside increasing operational strain from high call volumes, staffing limitations, and compliance risk. SwitchThink AI Assist addresses these challenges by automating routine inquiries, authenticating members before agent escalation, and scaling support during peak periods, without requiring additional headcount or in-house AI expertise.

How does it increase member value?

AI Assist delivers faster, always-on access to accurate information across channels, reducing wait times and friction for everyday banking needs. Members benefit from consistent, reliable service — including after hours, during surges or in urgent situations — while frontline staff are freed to focus on higher-value, relationship-driven interactions. The result is greater convenience, trust, and a more modern member experience without sacrificing the human touch.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

SwitchThink AI Assist stands apart through its deep KeyStone core expertise, turnkey deployment model and fully managed approach. Unlike generic AI tools, it is customized for credit union operations, continuously trained and governed with robust auditability and compliance controls. SwitchThink’s ongoing stewardship — paired with proven, real-world results — ensures credit unions achieve lasting impact rather than a one-time technology implementation.

Talkdesk:

Describe your innovation.

Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud is the all-in-one member experience platform built for credit unions. It unifies member data and communications channels to automate workflows for account servicing, lending, collections, fraud prevention, and more. Delighting members with human-like, multilingual self-service available 24/7. Pre-integrated with core systems and powered by pre-trained AI, Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud delivers secure, compliant automation with flexible deployment that enables a high-speed, low-risk path to greater efficiency and accelerated growth.

What opportunity or challenge does it address?

To grow sustainably, credit unions must deliver more value to members while preserving operating margins. Industry leaders will deliver high-touch service at scale using automation and AI, with speed and intention. Talkdesk provides the technical, operational, and strategic foundation to deploy modern member experiences with AI at the pace of member expectations and institutional priorities.

How does it increase member value?

Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud enables credit unions to deliver faster, easier, and more personalized service at scale while reducing risk and operating costs. Members receive instant, human-like support through AI self-service across voice and digital channels for everyday needs such as balance checks, login issues, credit questions, and branch information. When human support is required, agents, tellers, and bankers are equipped with real-time context, AI copilots, and automated task execution to resolve issues faster and more accurately.

Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud also strengthens fraud protection across the entire service journey with layered, risk-aware security. It supports multi-factor authentication, voice biometrics, continuous verification throughout interactions, and AI-driven anomaly detection to identify suspicious behavior in real time. Back-end analytics surface emerging fraud patterns and continuously improve defenses.

By unifying data, channels, and workflows across the front and back office, Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud reduces transfers and wait times while increasing self-service containment and fraud resilience. In production today, credit unions using Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud are achieving over 60% self-service containment, up to 90% reductions in handle time, major NPS gains, lower abandonment rates, and millions in annual savings.

What differentiates this innovation from competitors?

Talkdesk Financial Services Experience Cloud delivers an all-in-one, natively built member experience platform that unifies omnichannel communications with a complete AI portfolio, giving credit unions maximum control to deploy intelligent automation across the full member journey. No-code configuration, administration, and analytics enable both technical and business teams to continuously optimize member experience.

Beyond technology, Talkdesk brings deep financial services expertise to quickly align solutions to each institution’s ecosystem, workflows, and strategic priorities. Flexible deployment allows credit unions to modernize from where they are, whether deploying on top of existing contact centers, using in-house or third-party large language models, or adopting the full Talkdesk platform. Built-in AI guardrails and regulatory compliance ensure safe, responsible innovation at enterprise scale.

Check Out The Other Innovation Series Categories

• Employee Enablement
• Reimaging The Lending Experience
• Data And Decision Intelligence
• Fraud Prevention And Resolution
• Digital Member Engagement

The post Meet The Finalists For The 2026 Innovation Series: AI-Powered Member Experience appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Read on for insights and strategies from Atomic Credit Union, Coastal FCU, Dupaco Community Credit Union, GECU Credit Union, Golden 1 Credit Union, and Greater Texas FCU. Read “Innovation At The Speed Of Payments (Part 2)” to hear from Lake Trust Credit Union, Rogue Credit Union, Royal Credit Union, Texas Trust Credit Union, and YOLO FCU.

Trust Through Education

Taylor Stapleton has been vice president of funds management at Atomic Credit Union ($749.5M, Piketon, OH) since February 2024. She joined the rural Ohio cooperative in 2018 and moved into funds management in March 2021.

Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?

Taylor Stapleton: AI and blockchain will drive major innovation in payment systems and how credit unions serve members. Blockchain’s ability to detect fraud and streamline operations helps us offer faster, more secure payments.

At Atomic Credit Union, we grow by embracing technologies that fit our members’ needs. Maintaining personal relationships while adopting tools that enhance convenience and protection allows us to modernize and expand. Blockchain boosts transaction speed, access, and security across our membership.

How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?

TS: We’re enhancing our core and digital platforms using new technologies while staying true to our values. Members benefit from faster payments and improved fraud protection, with compliance intact.

Internally, the biggest challenge is balancing risk with convenience. AI and blockchain require strong data protection amid cyber threats. Externally, we face pressure to compete and keep pace with trends. We build trust by educating members on products and warning them about security threats to help reduce payment system risks.

Digital Debit And More

Daniel Rathfelder has been with Coastal Federal Credit Union ($5.7B, Raleigh, NC) for four years, first as vice president as card services and for the past two years as vice president of loan operations. In that role, he oversees mortgage and loan servicing and card services for the Research Triangle credit union.

Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?

Daniel Rathfelder: At Coastal, AI is already reshaping member services — from credit decisioning and chatbots to analytics that anticipate needs. We’re now exploring voice bots and automation to further enhance the member experience.

We also see stablecoin as a key emerging force, especially with the GENIUS Act paving the way for broader adoption. Stablecoins promise fast, low-cost, borderless payments, and we’re actively evaluating their future role.

Our members have always embraced innovation — we led with ITMs in 2006 — and they expect forward-thinking solutions. We’re committed to delivering exactly that.

How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?

DR: Coastal continues to modernize payments for speed, convenience, and security. We offer digital wallets, contactless cards, and as of January 2025, full digital issuance for credit and debit cards.

We’re rolling out Zelle soon, and we’ve enabled FedNow and RTP receive capabilities to support real-time payments. Stablecoin integration is also part of our long-term vision as digital currencies gain ground.

Fast-changing regulations pose the biggest challenge. Internally, it’s ensuring innovation aligns with security, compliance, and operational readiness.

Bullish On Agentic AI

Dupaco Community Credit Union ($3.5B, Dubuque, IA) named Todd Link its first chief member services officer this past February. He joined Dupaco in 2014 and has served as chief risk officer and senior vice president of risk management and remote delivery before assuming his current role at the Iowa credit union.

Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?

Todd Link: I’m quite bullish — in fact bullish would be an understatement — on the future of agentic AI using operator connections rather than traditional APIs. Large financials are investing heavily here. That’s not just for common tasks, like underwriting or fraud detection, but to automate entire back-office operations, like preparing and filing paperwork, working alerts, reviewing exception reports, and flagging real risks for human review.

With rising costs and margin compression, operational efficiency through agentic AI will be essential. Credit unions that embrace it can redirect staff toward front-line member engagement. Those that don’t risk falling too far behind to compete.

How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?

TL: Dupaco has and continues to invest heavily in both payment technology and digital banking offerings and, of course, fraud prevention, detection, and intervention tools. To me the three elements run parallel to one another. A successful payments program needs strong digital banking tools as well as the latest and most advanced fraud tools to protect against loss.

When we do all three correctly, most members not only willingly engage in innovative technology but actively seek it out. RTP [real-time payments] is a bit unique due to the risks associated with sending but over time I believe RTP will also be a valuable and heavily used tool in money movement.

Don’t Stop Here. Todd Link is redefining member service at Dupaco Community Credit Union, blending risk expertise with operational leadership to deliver secure, seamless, member-focused experiences. Read more in “What’s In A Name: Chief Member Services Officer.”

It’s Only Just Begun

Amanda Willians is a 28-year employee of GECU Credit Union ($4.4B, El Paso, TX). She’s been senior vice president for payment and remote services since 2022 and has 10 years of payments industry experience with the west Texas shop.

Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?

Amanda Williams: AI and open banking are redefining payments and we’re only beginning to realize their potential. AI is evolving from a support tool to a strategic driver, enabling real-time fraud detection, predictive risk modeling, and hyper-personalized member engagement. By harnessing its ability to learn and adapt, we can move from reactive responses to anticipatory service — identifying risks before they appear and delivering tailored solutions when they’re needed most.

Open banking accelerates the shift to a fully connected ecosystem. Secure, consent-driven data sharing between institutions and trusted third parties empowers members to manage finances seamlessly across platforms. This cross-functionality drives new business models, faster innovation, and deeply integrated payment experiences beyond traditional banking.

How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?

AW: GECU is working with third-party vendors to provide our members with the next generation of payments where speed, security, and convenience work in harmony. We deliver an experience where payments are more than transactions — they’re trusted, intelligent interactions.

We’re expanding real-time capabilities through modern P2P solutions and mobile-first digital banking experiences. We’re advancing our API ecosystem, embedding real-time analytics, and deploying adaptive fraud-prevention tools that strengthen security effortlessly.

Internally, our biggest challenge is innovating at the speed of technology while aligning resources, skills, and culture. Externally, members expect instant, seamless payment experiences.

We’re constantly adapting to evolving expectations and regulatory demands. Our approach is intentional evolution — innovating responsibly, anticipating market shifts, and designing a payments environment ready for today’s demands and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Emerging Technology Aligned With Mission

Blair Braud has served as executive vice president and head of operations at Golden 1 Credit Union ($20.3B, Sacramento, CA) since April 2024. She came to the big cooperative with a quarter century of corporate banking experience, including senior positions in risk and operations.

Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?

Blair Braud: Emerging technologies like instant fund transfers between parties and open banking will shape the future through greater convenience, speed, and security, but we must align them with our mission to empower members and communities across California.

How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?

BB: We’re upgrading our payment systems to deliver greater speed and convenience while keeping security, compliance, and trust central to our strategy. Key initiatives include:

• AI And Machine Learning — Real-time analysis detects fraud faster than humans while insights improve member equity and experience.
• Cloud Computing — Scales efficiently to handle growing transaction volumes securely.
• Tokenization — Randomized tokens replace sensitive data, cutting fraud risk and enabling secure, fast payments.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) — Stronger security with a seamless member experience.
• Education And Device Security — Training members and staff builds defenses against evolving threats.
• Accessibility Enhancements — Expert partnerships keep digital and in-branch tools inclusive and secure.

One of our biggest external challenges is keeping up with rapidly evolving payment threats. Internally, adapting systems and staff capabilities to new tech — without disrupting the member experience —remains a constant balancing act.

The Future Belongs To Blended Systems

Jason Endsley joined Greater Texas Federal Credit Union ($952.6M, Austin, TX) in early 2024. He has managed card payment programs for more than 20 years in the credit union and consumer banking spheres.

Which emerging technologies will drive the biggest changes in payments and at your credit union?

Jason Endsley: In the coming years, artificial intelligence and open banking will drive the biggest changes in payments. AI already makes fraud detection faster and more accurate while personalizing experiences. It anticipates needs, speeds approvals, and makes payments seamless, turning transactions into connections.

Open banking accelerates this shift by linking credit unions, fintechs, and networks. Members gain instant, low-cost transfers, richer tools, and integrated services all within the credit union ecosystem.

Blockchain’s near-term value is behind the scenes, improving settlements, cross-border payments, and identity verification. The future belongs to systems blending intelligence, openness, and trust, giving members more choice and security while keeping credit unions central to their financial lives.

How is your credit union upgrading payment systems for speed and convenience while managing risks? What are the biggest challenges you face in adapting to this new environment?

JE: Greater Texas Credit Union is in the middle of a multi-year effort to transform payments for speed, convenience, and flexibility while keeping security and trust central. A key initiative is modernizing our card processing platform to deliver faster authorizations, deeper data insights, and more resilient operations. We’ve also secured long-term partnerships with networks like Visa to provide stability and accelerate innovation.

We’re also preparing to leverage new payment rails like FedNow and the RTP network. These capabilities will let members send and receive funds instantly — around the clock — for deposits, transfers, and more, all within a secure credit union environment.

The challenge internally is aligning people, systems, and processes to support this change without disruption. Externally, we face evolving regulations, rising fraud sophistication, and member expectations set by tech-first competitors.

Don’t Stop Here. Read “Innovation At The Speed Of Payments (Part 2)” to hear from Lake Trust Credit Union, Rogue Credit Union, Royal Credit Union, Texas Trust Credit Union, and YOLO FCU.

Interviews have been edited and condensed.

The post Innovation At The Speed Of Payments (Part 1) appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Your digital experience is a direct reflection of the care and service you’re known for in your branches and communities. That’s why enhancing your platform now isn’t just smart – it’s a way to deepen trust, improve lives, and make it easier for your members to thrive.

Here are four ways you can start.

1. Show Up When It Matters Most

Members don’t always need help during business hours.

Sometimes it’s in the middle of a busy morning, or late at night when a question can’t wait. Adding secure messaging, video chat, and screen sharing to your digital experience makes it easy for members to reach out on their terms.

With tools like Banno Conversations, your team can guide members digitally without losing the personal touch you’re known for. It’s a way to remove frustration, solve problems faster, and show up with support that feels human – even through a screen.

It’s not about technology for technology’s sake.

It’s about meeting people in their moments of need and helping them feel seen, heard, and taken care of. And that’s something credit unions already excel at.

2. Help Members See The Big Picture

Most people today have financial accounts scattered across multiple providers.

That fragmentation can make it hard to make confident decisions – or even know where things stand. When you offer secure, bi-directional account aggregation, you’re giving members a way to pull everything together in one place: your credit union.

Available through the Banno Digital Platform, aggregation powered by Mastercard^® and Finicity means members can view external accounts right alongside their credit union ones. That’s not just convenient – it’s powerful.

Because when members can see everything, they can finally act on it. And you gain insight to support them in smarter, more personalized ways.

3. Learn What’s Working

Digital usage data can show you so much more than logins and session counts.

With advanced analytics built into your platform, you can see how members navigate your tools, where they get stuck, and what features they love most. Those insights mean you can make things easier, spot opportunities, and even create more meaningful member outreach.

And when you understand what’s really happening in your digital experience, you’re better equipped to serve every member – no guesswork needed.

4. Let Small Businesses Start Strong – And Stay With You

Small businesses are the heart of your community – but most don’t use credit unions as their primary financial institution. Why? Because many feel they have to choose between personal support and powerful tools.

You can change that.

With a scalable experience like Banno Business, small business owners can start with familiar tools and grow into more robust features as their needs evolve. Whether it’s toggling on invoicing and payment acceptance through Autobooks or using Conversations for Business to securely approve transactions, they can do it all inside your digital experience.

That means less reliance on third-party fintechs – and more loyalty to the credit union that made it all possible.

Let’s Make It Easier – For You And Your Members

You don’t have to take on all four enhancements at once.

Even one step forward can make a real difference for your members, especially as expectations keep rising. When you’re ready, Jack Henry solutions like the Banno Digital Platform and Banno Business are already built to help you deliver.

Ready to learn more? Contact us to level up your digital banking experience.

The post 4 Ways to Make Your Digital Experience Work Harder for Members appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

As we enter the second half of the year, CreditUnions.com is revisiting some of our favorite stories from the first half of 2025 by highlighting stories centered on some of the industry’s top priorities.

Employees are often called credit unions’ “secret sauce,” but an empowered staff doesn’t just emerge on its own. Creating a cohort of engaged employees takes time, requires a dedicated strategy, and a willingness to learn and pivot.

Simply put, there’s no substitute for a purpose-driven workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and connected to a greater mission. Because credit unions exist to serve members rather than shareholders, employees are naturally aligned with a culture of service, empowerment, and impact. This sense of purpose inspires deeper commitment and pride in their work.

Here’s a look at how three different credit unions are driving employee engagement.

Three Bankers Walk Into A Credit Union…

From Boston’s Santander Bank to St. Louis-based Together Credit Union ($2.6B, St. Louis, MO) a trio of former bankers share their experience transitioning from for-profit banking to not-for-profit credit unions.

Virtual Members, Real Results

California-based Premier America Credit Union ($3.4B, Chatsworth, CA) uses artificial intelligence to improve how staff build rapport and increase efficiency.

Up Close & Personal With Affinity FCU’s Change Agent

MaryAnne Melanson leads internal transformation at Affinity FCU ($4.2B, Basking Ridge, NJ) by uniting communication, change management, and staff engagement—fostering a culture of transparency and adaptability.

Now it’s your turn. What has your credit union done so far this year to engage and empower your staff? What special initiatives are in store for the second half of 2025? Drop us a line and let us know.

The post Best Of 2025 (So Far): Driving Employee Engagement appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

“Our mission is to change lives in our communities one person at a time by being the best place our employees have ever worked and our members have ever banked,” says CEO Jeff Carpenter, who took the helm in early 2021. “We’ve been somewhat stagnant, so we revamped the entire organization.”

That renovation included adding a new member to its executive team. Kyle Sanders joined the Oklahoma cooperative on Jan. 6 as its chief delivery officer. Here, Sanders and Carpenter offer thoughts on the new title and how it reflects WEOKIE’s strategic direction.

What led WEOKIE to create this role? What are the responsibilities of the chief delivery officer?

Jeff Carpenter: The role was created after our former COO retired in February. Kyle took over a significant portion of their responsibilities under a new title, which focuses on how we deliver products and services to members. This includes our 14 branches, our digital contact center, which has about 17 employees, and our ATM solutions. Other areas he oversees include facilities, operational support, and our CUSO, WEOKIE Financial Group, which provides investment services. The goal is to modernize every delivery channel and stay focused on how members access our services.

Kyle, talk a bit about your professional journey and what brought you to WEOKIE.

Kyle Sanders: Before WEOKIE, I was with Launch Credit Union ($1.4B, Merritt Island, FL) as an VP. I led our branch experience area, overseeing 10 branches and our wealth management program. Before that, I did a short stint as a branch manager at a community bank, and prior to that, I was a branch manager with Navy Federal Credit Union ($180.8B, Vienna, VA). So, I’ve worked at a couple of credit unions and worked my way up with a focus on retail, branch experience, and member service.

JC: I think it’s important Kyle also spent 12 years at Sam’s Club.

KS: Yes! I started when I was 16 and worked through high school and college. After graduating, I went into retail management there for six years. I honestly think everyone should work in retail or food service. You learn how to work with people, handle challenges, and build perspective.

JC: That retail experience is valuable. Kyle stood out in the interview process because of his passion. His growth mindset, alignment with our values, and ideas about WEOKIE Financial Group really resonated. He wants members to build wealth. He also noticed we were built for transactions, not relationships, and he’s now leading an evolution to change that.

Job titles say as much about the organization as they do the person. The “What’s In A Name” series on CreditUnions.com dives into notable, important, interesting, or just plain fun roles to find out what’s happening at the ground level and across the industry. Browse the whole series only on CreditUnions.com.

What does the shift from transaction-focused to relationship-focused look like? How do you balance quality digital offerings with face-to-face personalized care?

KS: Credit unions have to evolve to keep up with fintechs and banks. Our differentiation will be through relationships and service. COVID really shifted things. A lot of people were forced to try digital. Since then, branch transaction volume has dropped. So, we’re changing the language from “branches” to “member relationship centers” and reframing our culture. In the branches, a lot of our focus is helping members learn to use digital tools. The contact center side is adding AI service tools, too. So, to me, digital is about combining the human touch with digital accessibility.

JC: Kyle’s work is helping reduce transaction volume so our staff can focus on those deeper relationships. We have 30 certified financial counselors, and now we’re going to use that expertise.

What’s in the pipeline right now that is exciting?

Kyle Sanders: We’re working to introduce deposit-taking ATMS as a new delivery channel. They’ll be 24/7 access. We’re looking into adjusting our hours, too.

Jeff Carpenter: We’re also looking to fix the disconnect we have between branches and lending. We removed lending from branches three years ago but never built a strong referral bridge. Kyle is now helping us rebuild that. It’s not about sales. It’s about service. If we don’t tell you what we offer, we’re failing. We’re also building three new branches by 2026, the first since July 2020.

Kyle, what has stood out most about your onboarding experience?

KS: The executive team has been incredibly supportive and open to collaboration from day one. I wasn’t handed a rigid playbook. I was asked, “What ideas do you have?” That’s made all the difference.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

The post What’s In A Name: Chief Delivery Officer appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Over half of consumers have abandoned a brand due to a poor digital experience, and what’s even more concerning is that most never report it. In fact, 52% of users don’t report the issues they encounter online. So credit unions could be missing broken links, confusing navigation, or slow-loading pages, only realizing the problem after it’s cost them a loyal member.

As member expectations shift rapidly toward digital-first interactions, credit unions are faced with a critical question: how can they provide digital experiences that match the sophistication of today’s top consumer brands, while still staying true to their mission?

The Hidden Cost Of Digital Friction

Digital friction is real, and it’s often hidden in plain sight. While surveys are essential for gathering direct member feedback, they only capture what members choose to share. What about the frustration that leads to abandoned apps or broken transactions? These moments of frustration rarely get reported but silently erode member loyalty.

For example, more than 40% of consumers interact with financial institutions primarily via mobile. But many credit union apps fall short of providing seamless, intuitive experiences. Slow load times, broken links, and confusing navigation can drive members away without them ever voicing their frustration.

Adding to this complexity is the growing concern around digital security. Thirty-five percent of consumers say they avoid using platforms they don’t trust. For credit unions, security must be more than a backend priority, it must be felt throughout the member journey, ensuring members feel protected and reassured at every touchpoint.

This is why detecting digital friction requires more than passive feedback, it requires real-time behavioral insights.

Leveraging Digital Experience Analytics to Act On Behavior

This is where Digital Experience Analytics (DXA) comes into play. By combining DXA with traditional survey data, credit unions can monitor real-time behaviors such as rage clicks, hesitation, and failed journeys to uncover friction points that might otherwise go unnoticed. Rather than waiting for members to report issues, DXA lets credit unions take proactive action by listening to member behavior.

It’s a shift from passively collecting feedback to actively listening to member behavior, an essential distinction in a world where every interaction matters.

Unifying Feedback For Smarter Action

Even credit unions collecting data from multiple platforms may fall into the trap of disconnected insights. Survey results in one dashboard, web behavior in another, and mobile engagement tracked separately. Without a connected strategy, it’s nearly impossible to turn these signals into clear, prioritized action.

By unifying real-time behavioral data from DXA with survey feedback, credit unions can create a cohesive strategy that uncovers friction and drives smarter, more informed decisions. This approach ensures that no friction goes unnoticed, enabling credit unions to act quickly and enhance their digital interactions.

The Future Of Member Engagement

The future of member engagement requires the right tools and guidance to connect the dots and act on valuable insights. Credit unions that proactively listen to member behavior, address friction points, and integrate real-time data into their strategies will stay ahead of the curve, delivering digital experiences that exceed expectations and foster stronger, more lasting relationships.

Source: Medallia. (2025). Latest Findings On The Digital Customer Experience. Medallia Market Research.

The post Uncover Hidden Barriers And Build Stronger Member Loyalty appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

The California cooperative moved its branch staff to a universal banker model a few years ago and wanted to help employees level up their skills at facilitating conversations with members, says Tamara Scott, vice president of retail delivery. As leadership designed a two-day relationship-building class, Robyn Bilauca, the credit union’s manager of talent development, suggested using AI to augment the course and reinforce the curriculum.

Why It Matters

Credit unions, like nearly all other fields, continue to seek out use cases for AI. Others have used it for underwriting or crafting job descriptions or marketing materials, but Premier America’s implementation is an early indicator of the HR capabilities the technology can provide.

Over a six-month period, Bilauca built the training course and then passed it along to AI vendor Second Nature, which worked the training into an AI model that allows employees to interact with a virtual member before they work with real members.

The AI member can show up as friendly, less than friendly, inquisitive, and more, and staff receive a grade each time they complete the course. Even better, employees can take the training as often as necessary, and according to Scott, feedback from AI is less stressful than from a coworker or supervisor, who can get frustrated by mistakes or get tired of having to repeat the process.

“What this alleviates with the role play tool is the person on the other side,” Scott says. “When you get the report when you’re done, there’s no emotional attachment to it — it is what it is based on what was fed into our system. You either hit the mark with building rapport or you need a little more help. Maybe you could have asked a little more or asked another question or taken a little more time. It gives real, constructive feedback. Most people do not nail it the first time, and they’re OK with that.”

Second Nature built the AI based on Bilauca’s training model, which she designed around different conversations members have throughout the relationship cycle and areas where testing could improve employees’ skills, such as asking open-ended questions to uncover needs.

Scott notes there’s a bit of a learning curve for users, and whereas most don’t get a passing score their first time around, the AI has gamified the training. Some employees have even attempted to “break” the AI by speeding through the process and attempting to outsmart it.

Not only have those attempts failed so far, but employees also receive poor grades because there’s no way to build rapport in two minutes.

“You have to ask enough questions to uncover what that member’s needs were, present the proper solution, close the conversation, and schedule a follow-up if needed,” Scott says. “You’re not going to be able to do that in a small amount of time.”

The AI is also built to foster realistic conversation, so if members mention their kids, for example, it will ask follow-up questions and respond in the same way a natural conversation would flow.

Most are not comfortable with the rise of artificial intelligence, but Scott says she didn’t have any trepidation about launching AI-based testing to augment the credit union’s traditional training. Scott emphasizes that the intention is not to replace staff but improve how they interact with members.

“We had great NPS scores in our branch performance before,” Scott says. “That’s not necessarily why we did this, but it does help with our service to members by having these better conversations.”

An Advocate For AI

Although Bilauca built the training, the process of assembling the AI took approximately six months, which was well ahead of expectations, Scott says. The goal was to have the functionality ready by the end of 2024, and the AI was up and running by midyear.

Premier America is currently considering AI tools for its contact center, but this is the first tool it has used for retail branches. Although Scott wasn’t a skeptic beforehand, she’s definitely an advocate now.

“It helps make our people better and faster and more efficient,” she says. “It definitely has a place in the banking world. We have to keep up with the retail environment, whether it’s banking or anywhere else. Our members go other places, and those places train them to get answers fast. We have to embrace this because our members expect those kinds of answers.”

Scott says AI implementation has reinforced an important lesson: technology is good tool, but it’s crucial that leadership shapes the narrative.

“When you have a new technology, you need someone who can champion it,” Scott says. “Members have to know how it will help them, but team members have to know that, too. Our ultimate goal is not to replace employees — it’s to open up the opportunity to do what they do best, to be a human with another human.”

Are You Ready To Unleash AI? Callahan Roundtables offer C-suite executives the chance to craft strategies, tackle challenges, and explore industry hot topics with like-minded leaders. Looking to level up your AI strategy? Callahan has a roundtable for you. Learn how to take your seat at the table.

The post How AI Improved Training At Premier America appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Timestamps:

• Exagens – 00:00
• Prizeout – 11:38
• Pulsate – 21:38
• Spiral – 32:56

The post Innovation Series: Member Engagement appeared first on CreditUnions.com.

Navigant has long used data to make branching decisions but in the past two year has made a concerted effort to level up. Today, it incorporates member transaction patterns, demographic and census data, and third-party data from third-party providers.

“That really allowed us to use data more deeply to drive the decision-making process — not as a supplement as much as one of those primary drivers to how we look at branching,” says Mike Mattone, senior vice president and chief retail banking and experience officer. “Over the past two years we’ve done a great job with both internal and external resources to put more data up front in our decision-making process.”

One aspect of that includes assigning members a primary branch location based on their past six months of Navigant activity, including in-branch transactions, ATM usage, or member service representative interactions. That data now helps the credit union determine how and where it will place future branches and ATMs.

That work is already bearing fruit. Navigant was planning a new branch in North Kingstown, RI, but as it examined the data determined the planned location wasn’t the right spot. It then selected a different location on the other side of town, which opened in July 2024. Within six months that branch was ahead of schedule on membership and checking account acquisition targets.

“We looked at how our members interact and transact and where we had opportunities for other community pockets that weren’t engaged with membership yet,” Mattone says.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Rhode Island’s small size also plays a role in the credit union’s decisions. Using transaction data and third-party data — including deposit-growth trends and market potential at competing banks and credit unions — as well as demographic and zip code data, Navigant looked for locations that weren’t too close to competing institutions.

Because the credit union operates in a smaller market, convenience is critical.

“We looked at even a 10-minute drive time and said ‘Hey, if we’re 10 to 15 minutes away and they’re going to pass five competitors, that’s not going to work,’” Mattone says.

Visualization is so critical — who wants to look at reports all day? You have to see it and make it practical.

This is where data visualization became critical. Navigant has done extensive work in recent years to add visualization into its data strategy, examining concentric circles of branching overlap. That might be where population density has resulted in two branches within five minutes of each other, banking density within a specific area, or areas with smaller populations but strong deposit potential.

“We have all these concentric circles on this big map,” Mattone says. “Here’s our membership concentration, here’s the population, here’s the deposit opportunities, here’s our existing branches, here are competitive branches and what are their asset sizes? Where are those pockets? That visualization is so critical —  who wants to look at reports all day? You have to see it and make it practical.”

Flexibility — And A Learning Curve

Flexibility has been a crucial lesson. Early in this journey, Navigant was assigning members to branches based on where members opened accounts. After it shifted to transaction data, the data became more useful to the credit union because it had a realistic picture of where members were versus where they originated.

That data has also helped Navigant determine what types of facilities it needs in a given location. It now views branches as a member-acquisition play and ATMs are a convenience. As Navigant looks at demographics, geography, deposit-capture potential, and more, data helps determine what kinds of facilities might be most effective in a given area. If deposit-capture potential isn’t high in a given area, ATMs might be a better investment than branches.

The credit union historically relied heavily on third-party providers, but in recent years has invested in bringing talent in-house and ensuring staff have the bandwidth to dig deeply into data for the desired outcomes. Naturally, there was a learning curve along with that, but the end result has been increased efficiency and internal stakeholders with the skills to make data-driven decisions.

People Over PCs

The North Kingstown branch remains Navigant’s biggest success story with this approach so far. More than 180 new members joined at that branch within the first six weeks, with more than half opening checking accounts. Branch staff also hit its home equity loan target well ahead of schedule.

According to Mattone, the secret to that success isn’t data — it’s people.

“You can’t open a branch and then have the team be disengaged because not enough people are coming through the door,” he says.

Navigant continues to invest heavily in training staff to serve members at the high level they expect, which in turn deepens relationships and leads to more business. It also is renovating some spaces to remove teller lines in favor of a universal-banker model that allows for more consultative service.

Ultimately, the work has helped Navigant build its brand, both introducing it to new members and reinforcing its presence in the market with existing ones. That sense of convenience is part of Navigant’s strategy, and Mattone likened branch presence to a new parent checking on a baby. Parents are generally confident their baby is OK at night, but sometimes it’s reassuring to take a quick look in the bedroom just to make sure. It’s not so different when it comes to finances.

“Sometimes it’s just nice to drive by the branch and make sure it’s still there and their money is OK,” Mattone says.

Need A Better Branch Strategy? If you’re looking to identify important trends in your local market, evaluate potential new markets, and uncover hidden gems in vacated branches in 2025 and beyond, Peer Suite from Callahan & Associates helps you do all this and more. Craft a branching strategy that stands out from the rest. Learn how today.

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