For credit unions seeking partners who understand their unique values and priorities, credit union service organizations (CUSOs) offer a strong alternative to traditional fintech providers.  Built on shared purpose, CUSOs prioritize member service, stability, and long-term growth, operating with a vested interest in the success of their credit union partners. 

Unlike traditional fintech providers that serve a diverse client base, CUSOs work exclusively with credit unions, who are both their sole investors and customers. This focus fosters collaboration, shared governance, and reinvestment within the credit union ecosystem. By partnering with a CUSO, credit unions ensure strategic alignment with their values and participate in a cooperative structure that encourages innovation and shared growth. Three strategic advantages credit unions experience by partnering with a CUSO are top-of-mind.  

1. CUSOs prioritize the credit union perspective.

CUSOs like Origence are owned by credit unions, which gives credit unions direct influence over the direction and priorities of these organizations. This ownership model enables CUSOs to align their mission with the needs of credit union members and allows them to prioritize feedback directly from their owners. 

Origence actively seeks input from credit union leaders through board representation and various programs that give voice to the credit union perspective. Origence advisory groups engage credit union representatives to gain specific insights, while user groups provide task-oriented feedback. This approach ensures that products and services are developed with strategic input and operational insights from those directly involved in day-to-day operations. 

Tools like their Net Promoter Score (NPS) help them stay connected to their credit union owners’ expectations and ensure they deliver value. Structured opportunities like these allow credit unions to influence the products and services that serve their members. 

2. CUSOs create opportunities for credit unions. 

CUSOs are constantly exploring ways to expand credit unions’ reach and help them serve members more effectively. By identifying innovative growth opportunities, CUSOs enable credit unions to be present where members need them, whether through embedded financing solutions or new partnership models. 

For example, Origence’s subsidiary, FI Connect, enables credit unions to participate in embedded financing opportunities by placing them directly in the purchasing journey. This allows credit unions to work as a single lending entity, streamlining the funding process and enabling a network of credit unions to purchase loans. This arrangement provides credit unions access to opportunities that would require significant resources if pursued individually. 

Through collaborative networks, credit unions pool resources, streamline lending processes, and provide access to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach. This approach drives growth and reinforces the commitment to serving members and providing relevant and accessible financial solutions. 

3. CUSOs are focused on elevating the member experience. 

Prioritizing member experience is at the heart of both credit unions and CUSO initiatives, making this partnership a natural fit. As the financial industry evolves, CUSOs remain committed to helping credit unions provide their members with a positive, consistent experience. By aligning closely with credit union goals, CUSOs build solutions that directly impact the member, foster stronger relationships, enhance member loyalty, and ensure that members feel valued and supported. 

Unlike fintech providers that may face pressure to deliver short-term gains or seek acquisition opportunities, CUSOs maintain a singular focus on the success of credit unions, making them reliable, mission-driven partners for the credit union members they serve.  

By partnering with a CUSO, credit unions gain a partner committed to long-term success, providing the resources, stability, and strategic alignment needed to elevate the member experience. In an industry where relationships matter, CUSOs are uniquely equipped to help credit unions make a lasting, positive impact on the communities they serve. 

Brit Barker is Senior Vice President Sales, Enterprise Solutions for Origence. He is an experienced sales and product executive with 20 years of helping financial institutions improve their lending performance and exceed consumer needs. He’s a recognized industry leader with innate talent in balancing strategic focus with operational execution. Brit is an authority on consumer and indirect lending, with expertise in Lending Enterprise systems and technology, facilitating the transition of new clients into the financial lending market, and the overall consumer/lender experience.