How a Unified Account Opening Experience Turned Technology Modernization Into Measurable Growth
PLANO, Texas — Financial Plus Credit Union has been recognized for doing something many financial institutions talk about but few execute at scale: turning a historically slow, manual account opening process into a true growth engine.
MANTL, now an Alkami solution team and a leading provider of deposit and loan account opening technology, announced that Financial Plus Credit Union has been named the winner of the Future Branches Innovator Award for “Most Effective Technology Implementation.” The honor recognizes how the credit union implemented MANTL’s omnichannel account opening platform to modernize onboarding, unify digital and branch experiences, and convert operational efficiency into real deposit growth and stronger member relationships.
At its core, the award acknowledges that this was not just a software rollout. Financial Plus used technology to redesign how members start relationships with the credit union, how staff spend their time, and how branches contribute to growth in an increasingly digital-first environment.
Key Details of the Award-Winning Transformation
- Award: Future Branches Innovator Award for “Most Effective Technology Implementation”
- Recognized institution: Financial Plus Credit Union
- Technology partner: MANTL, an Alkami solution team
- Core achievement: Transformative rollout of an omnichannel account opening platform
- Strategic outcomes: Faster onboarding, higher efficiency, stronger deposit growth, better member experience
- Operational footprint: 12-branch network with unified digital and in-branch processes
- Expansion roadmap: Retail success now being extended to business member onboarding
Financial Plus was honored specifically for replacing a fragmented, manual, in-branch account opening process with a seamless experience that works the same way across every channel. The new approach gives members the freedom to start, pause, and resume applications online, in a branch, or on mobile — without losing continuity, context, or security.
From 30 Minutes to Five: Why Account Opening Became the First Domino
Before implementing MANTL, opening an account in a branch at Financial Plus was a lengthy, step-heavy process. Staff had to navigate multiple systems, perform manual checks, and guide members through disjointed workflows. That approach was functional, but it was not built for modern expectations shaped by consumer technology, e-commerce journeys, and on-demand digital services.
With MANTL’s omnichannel account opening platform, Financial Plus re-architected that experience. The results are tangible and measurable:
- In-branch account opening time fell from roughly 30 minutes to five minutes
- The number of steps required to open an account dropped from 100 to just 15
- Across the institution, the credit union saved an estimated 279 full-time employee days on account opening, averaging around 100 hours per month in time savings
Those numbers matter not only because they demonstrate efficiency, but because they change how member interactions feel in practice. Instead of staff spending most of a conversation on data entry and form navigation, they can spend more time listening, advising, and guiding members toward the right products and services.
Turning “Resume Anywhere” Into a Real Credit Union Capability
One of the most impactful elements of the project is the adoption of a “resume anywhere” model similar to what members experience with leading consumer technology brands. For Financial Plus, that meant:
- Members can begin an application online and finish it in a branch
- A member can start an application in a branch, continue it later on a phone, and complete it on another device
- Workflows remain secure and synchronized across channels
- Staff have visibility into application status without restarting processes from scratch
This kind of continuity is especially powerful for busy households, younger members used to digital fluidity, and working professionals who may not be able to complete everything in a single sitting. It also reduces the frustration that traditionally comes from having to repeat information across channels.
How Branch Digitization Changed the Role of Staff Across 12 Locations
Financial Plus applied these capabilities across its 12-branch network, using digitization not to replace staff, but to change what they spend their time on.
By automating workflows and embedding digital processes in the branch environment, the credit union:
- Reduced manual data entry and repetitive tasks
- Simplified the steps required to open and fund accounts
- Enabled branch teams to move faster without compromising accuracy
- Freed up staff capacity to focus on conversations, not clicks
For members, that means shorter waits and a more modern, consultative interaction. For staff, it means less time fighting fragmented systems and more time doing what drew many of them to community finance in the first place — serving people.
A Leadership View: Technology as a Way to Give Time Back to Members
Financial Plus leadership framed the project not just as a technology implementation, but as a way to give time and attention back to members by rethinking how employees work.
“There is a lot of hype around account opening, and our vision at Financial Plus was to automate critical processes to give our best resource, our incredible team, back to our members,” said Ryan Carley, senior vice president of retail delivery at Financial Plus Credit Union. “Having spent nearly 30 years in the banking industry, I have not witnessed a partner deliver the connection and partnership that MANTL has; it’s made all the difference in our ability to modernize, scale growth, and give our members the best experience possible.”
The quote highlights two themes that underpin the recognition:
- Automation is a means, not an end — the end goal is better human service.
- The relationship with MANTL is being treated as a strategic partnership, not just a vendor relationship.
The Numbers Behind the Recognition: Speed, Growth, and Member Experience
The impact of the MANTL implementation is visible across multiple dimensions of Financial Plus’s operations:
- Time savings: Branch account opening time cut from 30 minutes to five minutes
- Process simplification: Steps reduced from 100 to 15 for in-branch account opening
- Operational impact: 279 full-time employee days saved on account opening, representing around 100 hours per month
- Technology adoption: Approximately 98% of retail accounts are now opened through MANTL
- Growth outcomes: More than 12,000 new member accounts opened, with Financial Plus surpassing its 2025 deposit growth goal by mid-year, achieving 7% deposit growth by July 2025
- Branch contribution: About 78.6% of deposits were raised in-branch, showing that digitizing branch workflows can fuel branch-led growth rather than replace it
- Younger demographic reach: Minor account openings increased by more than 23 times in just five months
- Member satisfaction: Net Promoter Score improved from 64 to 69, with overall NPS continuing to rise year-over-year
These outcomes explain why the implementation attracted industry recognition. It was not only about deploying a modern digital stack; it was about using that stack to unlock growth, deepen relationships, and support a more modern credit union experience.
How Financial Plus Turned Operational Efficiency Into a Strategic Advantage
One of the most compelling aspects of Financial Plus Credit Union’s transformation is how operational efficiency was tied directly to strategic outcomes. The goal was not merely to speed up processes — it was to give members a more modern journey while giving employees time back to focus on the things that matter most.
By drastically reducing the time and steps required to open an account, Financial Plus reshaped the natural rhythm of its branch interactions. Instead of having staff split their attention between members and multiple outdated systems, the new model allows representatives to stay present, engaged, and consultative.
This shift matters in community banking, where trust and relationship-building remain central. When staff members spend less time navigating forms and systems, the entire tone of the member interaction changes — from transactional to relational, from rigid to personalized, from procedural to conversational.
The result is what every credit union strives for: service that feels both fast and human.
A Deeper Look at How Technology Elevated the Branch Experience
For years, financial institutions have struggled with the push-pull tension between digital innovation and branch relevance. Financial Plus demonstrates that these forces can work together, not against each other.
The modernized onboarding journey, deployed across all 12 branches, created a more confident, equipped, and efficient frontline experience. Staff no longer needed to improvise around system limitations or guide members through lengthy, repetitive steps. Instead, they were supported by:
- Process automation that handled the repetitive, error-prone steps
- System integration that eliminated the need to jump between platforms
- Workflow intelligence that removed friction points
- Real-time validation that prevented repeat work
- Seamless cross-channel continuation that created more control for members
Technology didn’t replace the branch experience — it strengthened it.
It eliminated pain points that had long been accepted as “just part of banking,” allowing staff to reclaim their focus and energy for high-quality human service.
Why the Credit Union–Fintech Partnership Was So Effective
Relationships between financial institutions and technology providers vary widely. Some feel transactional; others become truly strategic. The partnership between Financial Plus and MANTL sits firmly in the latter category.
Leadership at the credit union emphasized that this success happened because MANTL operated not as a vendor, but as a genuine extension of their team. That sentiment was voiced clearly:
“When we build our technology stack, we are looking for agile partners with like-minded visions for its services that will continue to move forward with us as we evolve,” said Jessica McNier, senior vice president and chief innovation officer at Financial Plus Credit Union. “We don’t even like to use the word ‘fintech’, because we choose partners that operate like an extension of our team. MANTL is a truly strategic partner to Financial Plus and helps us better serve our members, and our community.”
Comments like these highlight the underlying reason the project delivered outsized results: both organizations were aligned in purpose, process, and cultural mindset.
The Human Impact: Member Satisfaction and Relationship Building
Improving Net Promoter Score from 64 to 69 is not a superficial metric — it quantifies how members feel about their experience and how likely they are to recommend the institution to others.
For Financial Plus, the NPS increase is backed by:
- Faster, more intuitive onboarding
- Reduced frustration from manual processes
- Better staff availability and engagement
- More transparency across channels
- A sense that banking experiences are keeping pace with consumer expectations
In an industry where trust drives retention and referrals, the upward trend in NPS is one of the strongest indicators of long-term success.
How the Partnership With MANTL Is Expanding Beyond Retail
Perhaps the most important forward-looking detail is that Financial Plus is extending its use of MANTL to business member onboarding.
This next phase is significant because:
- Business accounts typically require more documentation and verification
- Manual processes in business onboarding are much more complex
- Faster business onboarding directly supports deposit growth and liquidity
- Business clients expect frictionless, digital-first journeys
- Streamlined workflows strengthen relationships with local entrepreneurs and small business owners
By extending the platform to business members, Financial Plus is moving toward a fully unified onboarding ecosystem — one that handles both consumer and business accounts with the same level of efficiency and clarity.
MANTL’s View: Technology as a Tool to Amplify People, Not Replace Them
From MANTL’s perspective, the success of the partnership reflects a philosophy that technology should empower employees rather than diminish their role. That belief was expressed directly:
“Financial Plus is a perfect example of how technology can supercharge teams. Their efficiency gains are extraordinary, but what inspires us most is how they’ve reinvested that time to elevate the human side of banking,” said Dan Milgrom, chief customer officer at MANTL. “By removing friction from account opening, they’ve empowered employees to build stronger relationships and deliver the kind of service that continues to set their credit union apart. We’re proud of this partnership, and excited to help Financial Plus continue to push the boundaries of innovation and member service.”
His comments point to a truth often overlooked in discussions of digital transformation: technology is most effective when it helps people spend more time with people.
Understanding MANTL’s Position Within Alkami and the Broader Market
MANTL, acquired in March 2025 by Alkami Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALKT), is now an integral part of Alkami’s Digital Sales & Service Platform. This matters because:
- Alkami’s ecosystem provides a broader foundation for innovation and ongoing feature evolution
- Banks and credit unions benefit from a combined platform with deeper capabilities
- The acquisition strengthens MANTL’s ability to support institutions at scale
- It ensures continuity, investment, and long-term product development
The acquisition added further validation to MANTL’s position as a leading provider of unified account origination technology, capable of supporting both deposit and loan workflows with speed and accuracy.
What the Award Signals for the Future of Onboarding in Banking
Financial Plus Credit Union’s Innovator Award sets an important benchmark for the industry. It signals that:
- Modernizing onboarding is no longer optional — it is foundational
- Omnichannel experiences are becoming the new baseline
- Branch digitization can drive growth, not cannibalize it
- Operational efficiency can directly fuel deposits and account growth
- Member expectations are shaped by consumer technology, not legacy banking systems
- Credit unions can leverage technology to stay competitive without losing their community-first identity
For many institutions, onboarding is still a bottleneck. Financial Plus shows how the right partnership, supported by the right execution, can turn that bottleneck into a competitive advantage.
Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Scalable Modernization in Credit Unions
As Financial Plus expands its work with MANTL into business onboarding, the blueprint becomes clear:
- Start with a high-friction, high-impact process
- Digitize it with a unified, omnichannel platform
- Reduce complexity for staff and simplify steps
- Allow members to move fluidly across channels
- Measure improvements rigorously
- Reinvest time savings into relationship building
- Scale the model to other segments (business, lending, etc.)
This approach reflects a balanced vision for the future: technology where it helps most, people where they matter most, and modern processes underpinning sustainable growth.
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