Ready, Set, Onboard: How to Win the Engagement Race.
For fintechs, onboarding isn’t a waiting game. It’s a race. They secure direct deposits within days, push card activations immediately, and build habits before customers even think of leaving.
Meanwhile, many community banks and credit unions still treat onboarding as an afterthought, assuming new accounts will ‘figure it out.’ They won’t. Nearly half of accounts stall before they ever begin. No funding, no activity, no future.
The difference? One approach locks in engagement. The other loses customers before they ever get started.
So where does your institution stand? If your onboarding process isn’t built for action, it’s built for attrition. In this edition of SwayForward, we break down what’s holding banks and credit unions back, what’s working today, and how you can turn sign-ups into long-term relationships, starting now.
Why a Connected Ecosystem Matters in Digital Banking
A disconnected experience creates hesitation. Another login. Another app. Another delay. Each extra step weakens trust. That’s why Swaystack lives inside your digital banking provider, ensuring that every step of onboarding happens as part of a single, uninterrupted flow, whether through in-branch guidance or digital self-service. With integrated Email and SMS PURLs, institutions can effortlessly guide new customers through key steps without friction.
Swaystack integrates directly with Jack Henry, Alkami, and Q2, with more integrations coming in the future. Connect with us to get started.
Why Integration Changes Everything
?? One Experience, No Extra Logins – Customers open accounts, fund them, set up direct deposits, and begin using their accounts inside your digital banking platform. No app-hopping. No unnecessary steps. Just banking that works.
?? Lower Operational Costs – Disconnected onboarding tools drain resources. They create redundant software expenses, IT bottlenecks, and fragmented workflows that slow down both staff and customers. Swaystack removes those inefficiencies, reducing staff workload and eliminating avoidable costs.
?? Faster Activation – New customers who complete funding and direct deposit setup early are 10x more likely to stay active. When a teller helps a new customer download the app and register in-branch, Swaystack kicks off onboarding immediately within digital banking. Your institution can ensure customers take key actions at the right time without ever leaving your platform.
?? Better Data, Smarter Engagement – When onboarding isn’t integrated, valuable data is lost between systems. With Swaystack inside your digital banking provider, your institution gains real-time insight into which members are funding accounts, setting up bill pay, and engaging, allowing for precise follow-ups that lead to deeper relationships.
The Bottom Line: A Connected Banking Experience Wins
Your digital banking provider is the foundation of your customers’ financial lives. The more you keep essential actions like onboarding, deposits, lending, and engagement within that trusted environment, the more likely customers will stay, transact, and grow with you.
Your institution isn't just improving processes by choosing an onboarding solution that works within Jack Henry, Alkami, and Q2. You’re reinforcing trust, making actions easier to complete, and ensuring that every step leads to lasting engagement.
Swaystack doesn’t just connect systems. We connect people to their financial institutions without extra steps, outside platforms, or unnecessary friction.
Eliminate roadblocks. Drive engagement. Build relationships that last.
What Happens After You Acquire a New Member?
Neobanks and fintechs don’t leave onboarding to chance. They use data, automation, and constant nudges to turn every sign-up into an active user. Meanwhile, too many community banks and credit unions rely on ‘set it and forget it onboarding. That gap is the reason fintechs are winning. On the latest CU 2.0 Podcast, our Co-founder and CEO, Har Rai Khalsa, explains what your financial institution must do differently to keep members engaged.
?? Listen to learn: ?? Why digital account opening is necessary but not enough. ?? How to prevent dormancy by guiding members toward first actions. ?? Gamification techniques that increase engagement and retention.
Opening an account isn’t the finish line. It’s where the real work begins.
Onboarding isn’t just a step, it’s the foundation of loyalty, and our CEO, Har Rai Khalsa, unpacked this truth on the Digital Banking Podcast with Josh DeTar.
Community banks and credit unions face steep competition from fintechs and mega-banks, but Har Rai explains how rethinking onboarding can turn new accounts into lasting relationships:
Don’t miss this conversation on how intentional onboarding shapes loyalty from day one.
Spotlight: One Nevada Credit Union Selects Swaystack to Personalize Onboarding
One Nevada Credit Union knew that onboarding was make-or-break. They partnered with Swaystack to turn passive sign-ups into engaged members, guiding every new account through funding, direct deposit, and daily banking habits. Now, new members won’t just open accounts. They will use them.
What is changing?
?? Members are guided, not left guessing. Swaystack automates key steps like account funding, direct deposit switching, and subscription transfers. ?? Engagement happens across channels. Email, SMS, and in-app messaging keep members connected from the start. ?? A clear, structured journey replaces confusion. New members know exactly what to do next, turning first interactions into long-term relationships.
“Opening an account is a transaction. Becoming part of a credit union is a relationship.” — Steve O’Donnell, COO, One Nevada Credit Union
One Nevada didn’t leave onboarding to chance. They built a process that keeps members engaged from day one.
Where to Find Us Next We’d love to meet in person and discuss how we can help your institution grow. Here’s where we’ll be:
Fintech Meetup
AFT Spring Summit
Can’t make it? Let’s connect virtually.
Let’s SwayForward Together
A new account is more than a sign-up. It’s the start of something bigger. A relationship. A commitment. A chance to earn trust and build loyalty. But too often, that moment slips away when customers hesitate, stall, or lose direction.
A new account is an opportunity only if the customer takes action. Without momentum, most accounts never become relationships. Swaystack ensures that every new relationship moves forward, from funding their account to making your institution their financial home. See how it works. Schedule a demo today.
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