Customer Success Story
Sandia Area Credit Union reduces funding turnaround time by 70%+
How Sandia Area Federal Credit Union connected digital lending and account opening to transform the path from application to funding
Headquarters: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Branch locations: 7
Members: 90,000+
Managed assets: $1.39 Billion+
The challenge
Simplifying lending and account opening across channels
Sandia Area Federal Credit Union needed to streamline application intake across direct, indirect, and digital channels while maintaining consistent credit quality and avoiding any increase in staffing. However, legacy processes and reliance on multiple systems created manual handoffs and workflow bottlenecks, making it difficult to deliver the efficient, intuitive application experience today’s consumers expect.
The solution
MeridianLink Consumer, MeridianLink Opening, MeridianLink Portal
Sandia Area Federal Credit Union implemented MeridianLink’s consumer loan and deposit account origination systems, along with the member-facing digital application portal, to build a more configurable and scalable end-to-end experience.
Why Sandia Area Federal Credit Union selected MeridianLink
Increased auto-decisioning to 30%, reducing manual workload and accelerating approvals.
Reduced average loan decision times by 40%, improving speed and consistency across channels.
Accelerated funding turnaround from 7 days to 2 days, delivering a 70%+ improvement in end-to-end processing time.
The results
Faster processing, higher efficiency, and a more connected member experience
MeridianLink enabled Sandia Area Federal Credit Union to significantly enhance both operational performance and the member experience. By streamlining application intake across channels and automating key components of underwriting, the credit union was able to process higher volumes more efficiently while supporting continued portfolio growth.
Members now benefit from a more intuitive digital experience, including simplified document uploads, real-time application status visibility, and fewer in-branch touchpoints. At the same time, configurable workflows, automated decisioning, and streamlined application steps have created a more seamless journey from loan application through deposit account opening. The integration between consumer lending and account opening has also strengthened cross-product adoption by reducing friction between borrowing and deposit relationships.
Sandia Area FCU now delivers a faster, more connected lending and account opening experience that better serves members and supports digital growth.
