Digital Banking Podcast

Credit unions are uniquely able to create intimate relationships with members, especially in rural towns where access to critical resources is limited.

A passionate advocate and CEO of CUProdigy, Amber Harsin understands that better than most. She’s committed much of her career to credit unions — she credits working in branch after high school with providing unique opportunities to discover her full potential.

Now, she ensures CUProdigy, a core data processor vendor, can help credit unions empower the financial stability of their members through seamless multi-channel user experiences.

Between navigating a global pandemic and a series of earthquakes, Amber’s first six months of her latest role with the Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) have been a rollercoaster.

Still, in this episode of the Digital Banking podcast with host and Tyfone’s VP of Sales and Marketing Josh DeTar, Amber shares her enthusiasm to help credit unions help others.

Technology plays a significant role in supporting credit unions to change business models, so it’s important that providers modernize their core infrastructure and architecture.

And to get ahead of 2020’s ripple effects, credit unions should apply these tools to offer digital financial services in creative ways, like placing kiosks in local hubs to give the people-first experience they’re known for.

During our conversation, Amber also tells the CUProdigy origin story, how the CUSO approaches servicing credit unions and what would happen if community banks disappeared from small towns.

Plus, how can credit unions differentiate themselves from competing conglomerates that cash in on convenience?

In this episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar sits down with Donat Husjainov, Chief Product Manager at XDataGroup, to explore the transformative power of innovation in global banking. Donat shares insights from his diverse experience, highlighting how Estonia's unique ecosystem fosters a culture of innovation and supports a thriving startup environment. He emphasizes the role of government initiatives, hackathons, and a tech-savvy population in driving Estonia's success.
The conversation also delves into the stark differences between banking markets in Europe, the U.S., and China. Donat explains how cultural and regulatory variations impact the pace of technological adoption, particularly in the rise of super apps like WeChat in Asia, which have revolutionized daily transactions.
As the discussion unfolds, Donat offers his perspective on the future of banking technology, outlining the challenges traditional banks face in keeping up with rapid fintech advancements. This episode provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of global banking and the crucial role of innovation in shaping its future.

In this crowded marketplace, how can a community financial institution possibly differentiate itself? Better technology is table stakes, because as soon as you add the latest shiny object to your tech stack, every other FI in town will add it, too. In the end, differentiation can only come from better ideas.

In this episode of The Digital Banking Podcast, our Josh DeTar welcomed Aaron Wollner, the CMO of Quontic Bank, which is the best online bank according to Forbes. Wollner discussed the importance of authenticity for a brand to resonate and explained the concept of non-monogamous banking. The two discussed the importance of digital transformation, how Quontic adapts to macroeconomic changes, and the one question you must constantly ask.

In this episode of The Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Brett Wooden, the SVP of Innovation at FTSI. They talked about the benefits of integrating AI into banking technology, the importance of thinking outside the box, and why you need to create a seamless and convenient digital experience for your accountholders.

In this episode of The Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar and Austin Adams, retired CIO at JP Morgan Chase, discussed why empathy is more important than feature functionality when community FIs try to take on the megabanks. Adams also shared a little of his knowledge and expertise in driving innovation and superior customer experience in a complex and ever-changing environment.