Forming authentic relationships has always been the competitive edge for smaller lenders. And as the FinServ world has become more tech-driven and digital-first, credit unions and community banks have only leaned further into this powerful differentiator. But we’re seeing an interesting trend among some of the most successful small- to mid-market lenders: They’re recognizing that tech-enabled engagement is no longer mutually exclusive to genuine human connections. They’ve created powerful data-driven strategies that make it easier for them to build good, old-fashioned personal relationships.
These forward-thinking lenders are realizing that their smaller size is actually an advantage in implementing “big data” tools and strategies. We’re seeing credit unions and community banks deploy Total Expert Customer Intelligence in a matter of weeks and start realizing value in as little as 90 days, building a loyalty- and revenue-generating engine that fuels itself.
But how are they doing it in a financial landscape where consumers have more choices and competitors aren’t just in the building across the street?
Even close borrower relationships are growing more complex
Small- to mid-market lenders have been historically hesitant to embrace tech-powered, data-driven strategies because there was a concern that it would dehumanize their connections with borrowers. Which is understandable as community banks and credit unions have built their brands and their reputations on their ability to forge honest, transparent relationships—getting to know their customers and members in ways bigger lenders could only dream of.
But even those 1:1 borrower connections are now digital-first, multi-channel relationships. Those increasingly complex relationships involve exponentially more data, information, preferences, and intent signals. A common concern we hear among smaller lenders runs along the lines of, “We don’t have enough data for a ‘Big Data’ strategy.” But the truth is that even the smallest credit unions and community banks are swimming (and sometimes drowning) in a pool of tremendously valuable data.
Borrowers expect to feel “known” across every channel; they want the same feeling of 1:1 personalization at every touchpoint. And it’s becoming a genuine challenge for smaller lenders to juggle all the information and orchestrate these hyper-personalized omnichannel experiences.
Using Customer Intelligence + marketing automation to enhance personal borrower relationships
More and more credit unions and community banks are turning to data-driven, tech-enabled strategies to complement—not replace—their personal relationships with borrowers. We’ve seen smaller lenders have tremendous success with Customer Intelligence and our dynamic, automated Journeys because they:
- Surface intent signals in real time: Customer Intelligence surfaces critical intent signals as they happen, giving LOs the superpower of knowing what borrowers and homeowners need when they need it.
- Highlight life events as critical engagement opportunities: Customer Intelligence helps smaller lenders go beyond traditional intent signals, recognizing key life events or milestones (graduating, getting married, starting a family, changing careers, retiring, etc.) that signal shifting financial goals and new borrowing needs. This gives your LOs natural opportunities to reach out with helpful, personalized guidance.
- Enable personalized outreach at scale and speed: Credit unions and community banks are using Total Expert Journeys and other automation capabilities to help their LOs stay on top of all of these valuable Customer Intelligence signals. Built-in triggers and automated Journeys enable LOs to magically engage at just the right time—across their full roster of customers and prospects.
Smaller lenders are leveraging Total Expert’s digital toolset to help them show up for borrowers when it matters most—across every and all channels—to give them the feeling they want most: a trusted financial advisor who understands their financial needs and goals, providing proactive support and guidance to help deliver the best possible outcome.
Measuring time-to-value in weeks, not years
Another major misconception among credit unions and community banks is that they don’t have the resources to manage this kind of automated, Customer Intelligence-powered strategy.
It’s true that smaller lenders likely don’t have large internal teams of data analysts (if any). But Total Expert has led the charge in democratizing access to leading-edge data analytics tools and capabilities. We’ve designed Customer Intelligence and Journeys to be easy to deploy and quick and intuitive to set up.
The smaller size of most credit unions and community banks works to their advantage here. We consistently see these customers go live and start seeing measurable value with Customer Intelligence in as little as eight weeks because they’re able to implement, build, test, and launch faster than larger lenders that have more layers of reviews and approvals.
Smaller lenders driving big value: Customer Intelligence case studies
Dart Bank
- Customer Intelligence in action: Dart Bank uses Customer Intelligence to surface life events and intent signals in real time, enabling LOs to engage members with proactive, personalized support across channels.
- Driving measurable value: In just six months, Dart Bank drove an additional $48 million in funded loans—all by connecting with borrowers at the right moments of opportunity.
Tucson Federal Credit Union (TFCU)
- Customer Intelligence in action: TFCU adopted Total Expert Journeys + Customer Intelligence to automate workflows, unify member data, and personalize communications; reducing manual work (e.g., uploading data daily) and streamlining email campaigns.
- Driving measurable value: Open rates now exceed industry benchmarks (25–26%), and click‐through rates have improved. Campaign build times dropped from weeks to minutes.
Horicon Bank
- Customer Intelligence in action: Horicon created a Data Insights department, deployed Total Expert for centralized CRM/marketing automation, enabling more intentional targeting and personalized communications, letting staff have visibility into customer behavior across branches and channels.
- Driving measurable value: The bank is now orchestrating timely, personalized borrower outreach at scale—transforming digital signals into relationship-building opportunities that strengthen loyalty.
Tech- and data-driven strategies have proven over and over that they have the ability to help deepen personal relationships for smaller credit unions and community banks. Our customers are proving that size doesn’t have to be a barrier. It can be an advantage that allows organizations to move quickly, leverage powerful tools like Customer Intelligence, and deliver authentic, personalized experiences at scale.
Learn more about Customer Intelligence and how it can drive consistent growth by enhancing your member and customer relationships.
