Always be prepared with questions. Whether it’s asking the appliance salesperson 20 questions about the efficiency of a new microwave or presenting your spouse a list of questions about the restaurant they picked for dinner, the right questions can save you from being unpleasantly surprised. Being prepared with questions will serve you well and help you make important business decisions, especially during a credit union core system review. If you are not challenging the presenter and technical staff on a demonstration of their services, you are not ready to go through a conversion. The more questions you have, the more you have taken the time to truly consider what you like about your current core technology, what is lacking, and what you need versus what would be a “nice to have, but not necessary.”

Here is a list of questions to get you started. Before a demo, review this list, and try to come up with more follow-up questions that relate to your credit union’s challenges.

1. What data analytics do you have? You can’t manage what you can’t measure. If your core does not provide you with robust reporting and information on both internal systems as well as in depth member analytics, you are not maximizing the potential for growth in your base.

2. How friendly is the UI? Learning curves are difficult. A complicated user interface extends the learning curve not only for new employees but anytime new features are added.  If even seasoned vets would struggle with the UI, imagine teaching an entire staff all at once and the difficulties that will arise during implementation.

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