PSCU publishes white paper on in-house credit card processing
Decision guide and case study help credit unions evaluate merits of full service vs. in-house
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (May 18, 2017) — Today¹s credit unions are becoming increasingly proactive in evaluating their card program processing needs to preserve both member-centricity and margins. As credit unions deal with ever-growing regulatory, cybersecurity and competitive demands, they also find themselves juggling intense pressure to control expenses while maintaining program quality. PSCU has published a new white paper, Decision Guide: Full–Service Versus In–House Processing: Your Credit Union¹s Complete Guide to Picking the Perfect Plan and Avoiding Possible Pitfalls, to help credit unions evaluate the growing range of full-service and in-house processing options. The CUSO has also released a case study, In-House Credit Card Processing: Opportunities, Challenges and Benefits, which profiles three PSCU Owner credit unions and their experiences with in-house credit. Both the white paper and case study are available for download from the PSCU website.
The objective of the white paper, which was created by PSCU¹s Advisors Plus strategic consulting group, is to give credit unions an impartial, self-paced framework for understanding the factors involved in making the right processing decision for their credit union. The decision guide provides information to help credit unions assess the type of processing plan that offers the best long-term fit for a credit union¹s resources, requirements and budget. The paper outlines seven key areas for credit unions to focus their due diligence efforts including overall card program strategy, marketing and branding, technology and data analytics, contact center and member service, member-facing and back-office operations, human resources and staffing, and subject matter expertise.
The case study reports on the experiences of three PSCU Owner credit unions that made the decision to use PSCU¹s in-house credit processing solution. Each of the credit unions reported similar reasons for processing their credit card portfolio in-house: greater flexibility and more hands-on control over the management and branding of their card programs, higher growth, enhanced member experience, and streamlined support processes for their staff through the familiarity of the core system they use every day.
³We now have tighter integration of our credit card portfolio with our core, so we can paint a more complete, real-time picture our members¹ accounts both in-branch and through their use of our online banking application,² said Cathy Worth, Card Services Manager for TruStone Financial Credit Union (Minneapolis, Minn.).
The credit unions profiled in the case study also mentioned the particular challenges they faced regarding the effort and resources needed to run a successful in-house model. ³The credit union needs to understand this is a huge undertaking. They need to have the resources and expertise to handle increased call volume, process disputes, execute marketing campaigns and provide an excellent level of member service,² said Liz Fee, VP, Payments and Deposits for Citadel FCU (Exton, Pa.).
Visit www.pscu.com to access and download the white paper and case study.
About PSCU
PSCU/Co-op Solutions is the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated financial technology solutions provider. With over four decades of industry experience and a commitment to service excellence and innovation, the company serves more than 4,000 financial institutions throughout North America. PSCU/Co-op Solutions leverages its expertise and resources on behalf of credit unions and their members, offering an end-to-end product portfolio that includes payment processing, fraud and risk management, data and analytics, digital banking, instant payments, strategic consulting, collections, ATM and POS networks, shared branching and 24/7/365 member support via its contact centers. For more information, visit pscu.com and coop.org.
