When it comes to banking and financial products, the average consumer has no shortage of options. From large national and community banks to credit unions (CUs) and emerging fintech firms, everyone is vying for the attention and dollars of your current members.

The current success of your credit union is directly related to your credit union's core technology. Few scenarios have made that clearer than the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, credit unions with the right core technology were able to quickly adjust, go digital, and deliver the solutions required to meet member needs.

Whether it's a credit union, community bank, or national bank, open banking has transformed how people perform financial transactions. Highlighted by innovative and integrated apps, open banking is made possible through application programming interfaces (APIs). In the most simple sense, an API is a software intermediary that allows two different applications—such as your credit union core processing system and a third-party app—to seamlessly communicate.

Though face-to-face interactions have always been more personal, credit union members today are leaning more towards digital interactions. Whether it's due to the pandemic or advances in technology, there is no one clear-cut cause. But it's the reality credit unions need to face and accept. For example, a recent study showed that between December 2020 and May 2021, 95% of Gen Z used mobile banking. And according to the Credit Union Journal, "70% of likely bank account applicants would prefer to submit a digital application." So whatever type of banking a credit union member is interested in, it's important for them to be able to conduct their business online if they so desire. Application programming interfaces (APIs) can help make that possible.

In the fast-paced world of banking, you can either change or get left behind. And far too often, credit unions have defaulted to the latter by failing to embrace the rapid pace of technological change. Instead, many credit unions have attempted to remain competitive by delivering world-class member service and valuable relationship-based banking.

Digital transformation is no longer a buzzword that all the cool financial institutions are using. Instead, COVID-19 has escalated it from a nice-to-have, wishful thinking strategy into a must-have for credit unions to remain competitive. At the very heart of any effective digital transformation is a metamorphosis that transforms how your credit union interacts with members. In the act of doing so, it should modernize and simplify processes while generating efficiencies and improving KPIs, such as the credit union's efficiency ratio. While COVID-19 has escalated the importance of digital transformation, it has also highlighted key problems credit unions face.

The past 18 months have brought unexpected challenges to credit unions of all sizes. The severity of these challenges varies by credit union and some peer groups were more affected than others. Digital transformation became a real topic, instead of wishful thinking or “clickbait” for marketing companies. We quickly learned which credit unions were prepared for a digital transformation and those that were not.

There is a growing demand for credit unions to offer new technologies and alternative touchpoints, all while providing an exceptional member experience. These demands are requiring credit union management to find new and innovative solutions to meet expectations while also looking for methods to reduce costs and increase efficiencies. Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs) are the next wave in credit union efficiency for both CUs and their members.

A thoroughly planned member onboarding strategy is important to a credit union's success. It is the honeymoon period of your relationship where during the first few months you show a new member they made the right choice by selecting your credit union. The first key step of that onboarding process is account switching. Change is hard and you need to make it as easy as possible from a member experience perspective. Digital Account Switching is the answer.

Members want it all ways. They want best-in-class, personalized and fast service in branch, and they prefer only to come inside the branch if they feel like it. If they are using DIY services, they want them to be user-friendly, intuitive, and efficient. New technology is flowing out all around us in everything we do, and it's reinventing the way we interact with the world and each other. If your credit union can't provide the services your members want today and tomorrow, they can find one that will with a few clicks of their smartphone. Don't let your core be the reason you can't keep up with the pace of innovation.