Lately we’ve talked a lot about the benefits of digital transformation, the myths and misinformation that may be keeping community banks from reaching their full digital potential, and the emerging digital transformation trends that are impacting the financial services industry. Chances are, if you’ve been following along and doing your research, you can clearly see the case for digitally transforming your bank. But perhaps there’s still one big unknown that’s keeping you from taking the plunge: the implementation process itself.
What does it look like to get started with Accrue? What can you expect on day 1 of implementation — or day 45, or day 90? What about after rollout? Digitally transforming your bank or credit union is a big step, and we want to make sure you have all the information you need to make the best choice possible for your organization. So, let’s pull back the curtain a bit on the implementation process, walk through the timeline, and dig in to our ongoing post-implementation support.
How Accrue Works
In the simplest of terms, there are three steps in the Accrue implementation process:
- It starts with a conversation. First, you’ll meet with our team to discuss the processes you want to automate. You’ll tell us all about your legacy systems, your pain points, and the customer experience you’re hoping to create.
- We make it happen — and show you the ropes. Our experts will put solutions in place that enable faster, easier processes with less paperwork and more opportunities to serve your customers. And we’ll train your team, too, so they feel confident in navigating the new digital environment.
- You start using your new system! You’ll be up and running in as little as 90 days, and our team will be there every step of the way to help ensure your success long after implementation.
The Implementation Timeline
“Up and running in as little as 90 days” sounds great, but what does that actually mean in practice? We’ve put together an outline of our implementation timeline to give you a better idea of what to expect as you move through the process.
Days 0-15: Data analysis and requirements gathering. The first 15 days are all about getting to know your existing systems. We’ll start by holding an implementation kickoff call, in which we’ll introduce our team, go over the implementation process, get an overview of your business, talk about next steps, and answer any questions. Then, we’ll work with you to figure out which product workflows you need, map out your current processes, and gather data and other key pieces of information that will inform how we configure your system.
Days 15-60: Configuration. The next 15 days are all about the nitty-gritty of configuring your new systems. Our experts will use the information we gathered in the discovery phase to inform the workflows and automation in your platform — and we’ll gather input and feedback from you along the way to ensure the structure we’re building is a good fit. We’ll also work together to establish branding and set up templates and reports. And before we move on to the next step, our QA lead will review the platform and address any concerns.
Days 60-75: Data import. Once your platform is configured, we’ll begin the data import phase, in which our implementation team will work closely with you to identify and import necessary data from your legacy system to your new solution. Once again, before moving to the next and final step, the designated QA lead will make sure everything is polished and all details are nailed down.
Days 75-90: User acceptance testing. The final phase is UAT, or user acceptance testing. This is where full team training takes place, in which our implementation analyst will walk you through each aspect of the platform and how to use it. We want you to be comfortable with your processes! You’ll have time to use the platform before it goes live to ensure everything is working as it should, and we’ll fix any issues that may crop up. Once everything passes muster, it’s time to go live.
Ongoing Support and Management
Worried about swimming on your own after you take the plunge? Fear not — our partnership doesn’t end after your go-live date. We’ll be there to help with implementation and maintenance as needed. You’ll get dedicated ongoing support from our Account Management, Client Success, and Managed Services experts who will be on hand to maintain your platform, drive adoption, train users, complete platform changes, and more.
Take the First Step
Starting your digital transformation journey may seem like a huge undertaking, but with the right partner (and a well-thought-out implementation process), you can feel confident in making the leap. If you’re ready to deliver a better banking experience to your customers, we’re ready to help make it happen. Schedule a free demo today to find out if Accrue is right for you.