From friction to flow: How OCCU increased estatement adoption by 50% and cut enrollment time 63%

Overview

Founded in 1956 in Eugene, Oregon, OCCU is a not-for-profit cooperative with over $3 billion in assets and more than 250,000 members. To enhance the member experience and reduce friction, OCCU focused on improving how indirect auto loan members adopted digital services during onboarding.

Challenge

Indirect auto loan members were eligible for a 0.25% rate discount if they enrolled in eStatements and auto-payments. While auto-payments were automatically set up at funding, eStatements required manual enrollment. Many members were unaware of this requirement at the dealership, resulting in missed discounts, unexpected $250 paper statement fees, and negative first impressions. The process also created unnecessary call volume for OCCU’s service teams.

Solution

OCCU partnered with Digital Onboarding to make eStatement enrollment easier and more intuitive. The campaign included:

• Automated emails and SMS reminders triggered immediately after loan funding
  
• Personalized microsites with clear explanations of rate discounts and fee risks
  
• Digital Onboarding’s Enrollment Widget, which enabled members to enroll in eStatements instantly without logging into digital banking
  
• An option for members to confirm or change their payment due dates during onboarding

Results

The campaign delivered exceptional results, accelerating digital adoption and driving stronger engagement across mobile and SMS channels:

• 50% increase in eStatement adoption among indirect auto loan members
  
• Reduced average enrollment time by 63% (from 35 days to 13 days)
• 88% of members who engaged with the journey used mobile devices, with SMS outperforming email

Impact

By simplifying eStatement adoption, OCCU improved first impressions for new members, reduced service costs, and accelerated digital adoption. The initiative also highlighted how members increasingly prefer mobile-first, text-driven communication for onboarding.

The Digital Onboarding platform makes it easy for members to adopt account-related services and additional products. We are so impressed with the results!”

Chelsy McNeil, Director of Digital Experience

Conclusion

OCCU successfully streamlined the indirect loan onboarding process with Digital Onboarding, boosting adoption rates, saving staff time, and improving the overall member experience.