Regardless of how you look at it, enabling digital account opening for credit unions brings with it a number of distinct benefits, all at the exact same time. For starters, it creates a more satisfying experience for members--particularly those who are a part of the younger generations. These people want to bank wherever they want, whenever they want, and however they want. They increasingly use smartphones and other mobile devices to do it and digital account openings are a natural part of that.

Adopting a new core processing platform for your credit union is nothing if not an investment--and it's one that deserves to be protected. In many ways, it's the foundation upon which the future success of your organization will be built--both for your members and your employees. But you can't get to that point if you don't take a few important steps in the short term in order to guarantee success over the long haul.

Whenever it is determined that the time is right for a credit union core processor change, it's always a fairly malleable and intricate process. After all, you're talking about the technological foundation upon which your very organization has been built. How you provide newer and innovative services to your members. How you build and maintain ongoing relationships with those members. This is very much a situation where you don't want to leave anything to chance.

While the implications of the term "digital transformation" are far-reaching, in practice the situation isn't quite that complicated. It's all about the technological processes that can be put in place today to help better prepare an organization for the potential challenges it will face tomorrow.

There was a time when on-demand (also referred to as "instant issue") cards were one of those "nice to have" benefits for credit union members. They were fast, convenient, and efficient - but they weren't necessarily a "must have" feature like mobile banking.

There have been so many changes in the credit union world over the past few years, sometimes it’s a good idea to take a breath and reevaluate what’s happened and where the future might take us. One thing that’s occurred that cannot be ignored is the huge role digital technologies have begun to play in banking and nearly all aspects of our lives.

For some time now, cash has taken a backseat to credit and debit cards in America, and digital and mobile banking has been evolving. The events of the past few years have only accelerated the transformation of more and better digital banking services, digital wallets, and other digital solutions to fill customer and member needs. Those credit unions who adapted and enhanced their digital banking platforms likely satisfied and maintained their members, but some might wonder if digital banking will replace all in-person transactions and maybe even cash itself.

In 2020, credit unions and all sorts of businesses were forced to adapt and change the way they provided member services. Obviously, one of the biggest changes was finding a way to provide services and transactions that were once conducted in-person and make them digital. As member expectations and needs changed, CUs and other businesses were forced to enhance their digital platforms at an alarmingly fast rate.

As credit unions turn to digital solutions to meet their member’s changing needs, in-branch transactions and manual processes are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Such digital transformation throughout the financial world is here to stay, and CUs must adapt to survive and thrive.