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Indirect auto lending is not only a convenient way for financial institutions to increase loan volumes, but it’s also a convenient way for members and customers to obtain financing directly from a dealership. However, there are risks associated with indirect lending programs and items that the financial institution must be aware of before jumping in. The financial institution should outline expectations and have consistent communication with participating dealers to ensure the program is being administrated in accordance with the guidelines set in place at the beginning of risk management.

Attention MeridianLink Clients: Lights! Camera! Action! It’s SHOWTIME for the 2020 MeridianLink User Forum, taking place on June 1-4, in Huntington Beach, CA. The line-up for the three-day event includes exceptional programming for users of LoansPQ, XpressAccounts, Application Portal, LendingQB, and other key MeridianLink products and services. You will have the opportunity to ‘tune into’ sessions covering such topics as indirect, consumer, business and digital lending, reporting, collections, and analytics and scoring. And, ‘streaming LIVE’ will be new vendor partner presentations with no remote required.

As we head into a new year with it come new goals and numbers that sales professionals are required to meet. The banking and credit union industry is no exception. The numbers are consistently getting more substantial, and for many organizations, a new year can be particularly terrifying as it brings with it a new quota to conquer.

Finding the right loan origination system for your bank or credit union is vital to a successful lending strategy. The implementation of that system is just as important; the setup of your system sets the course for your team and the success or failure of your financial institution’s lending goals.

One of our favorite parts of providing software solutions to credit unions is giving them the tools to serve the members of their communities and change lives for the better. Not only do credit unions provide an excellent member experience for lending and deposit accounts, but they also make it a priority to serve their communities in multiple charitable ways.

Our most recent webinar featuring Jim Marous, Owner and Publisher of the Digital Banking Report and Co-Publisher of The Financial Brand and MeridianLink Sales Engineer, Jerod Nace, covered best practices to help banks and credit unions compete with digital lending leaders.

Social media is a very powerful tool for many different reasons. Those who do not understand it can fall in the trap of deeming it as a non-legitimate form of communication and marketing and miss out on a wide array of benefits. According to Oberlo, there are about 3.2 billion social media users, 68% of which are Facebook users (Oberlo).   

According to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection 2019 Annual Report, outstanding credit card debt continues to grow, increasing to re-touch its 2008 peak of $870 billion. Additionally, the flow of 90 days or more delinquency for credit card balances remains elevated relative to previous years (BCFP).

When it comes to mobile devices most of us are divided into two categories, Apple or Android. And those who have an iPhone are not going to go and purchase a Galaxy watch, and in most cases probably own at least one or two other Apple products. As consumers we prefer the easier route, a streamlined and consistent user experience and less login credentials to remember.    The same concept can and should be applied to banks and credit unions, specifically to their loan and new account origination systems. The goal should be to create a consistent, sustainable, streamlined, and efficient member and customer experience. Providing a consistent user experience regardless of the product and channel, is vital to staying competitive in the industry.

Merchant lending is a simple way to increase loan volumes, create great working relationships with local businesses and help your community. We are all faced with unexpected and unavoidable expenses and financing options can be a life saver. According to Forbes, your average annual home maintenance is about 1%-4% of the purchase price, depending on the age of your home, plus unexpected expenses (Forbes). This is the perfect area to implement merchant lending at your bank or credit union, help your community live better lives when they need it the most. Today, I’d like to discuss just that, an unexpected home maintenance emergency that was saved by merchant lending through a local credit union.