Quick Overview
Industry leaders from Eltropy’s Emerge conference share insights on transforming collections from reactive recovery to proactive member engagement.
Collections have always been one of the most delicate moments in a credit union’s relationship with its members.
Miss the moment, and trust erodes.
Handle it right, and loyalty deepens.
Leaders from OceanAir FCU, Temenos, REPAY, and other industry innovators came together to unpack a reality many credit unions are already feeling: collections can no longer be reactive, delayed, or one-size-fits-all.Â
From empathetic outreach and self-service payments to seamless integrations and real-time insights, these leaders shared what’s actually working on the ground and why credit unions that modernize now are seeing stronger relationships, better recovery, and more confident teams.
If collections have ever felt like a necessary evil, these insights may change how you see it entirely.
What’s Driving the Shift From Reactive to Proactive Credit Union Collections?
The move toward proactive collections for credit unions isn’t theoretical – it’s happening because the old approach no longer works.
Michael Pupil, VP of Collections Business Unit at Eltropy, observes a dramatic change in how credit unions approach delinquency. “In the last couple of years, most credit unions across the board have realized that looking at the current workflows, looking at the type of communication channels that they employ to reach out to their members needed a little bit of modernization.”
Gone are the days when credit unions would wait weeks before reaching out to delinquent members. Pupil notes the dramatic change: “Even just a couple of years ago, a lot of credit unions were waiting a significant amount of time just letting the member kind of have some space. And now it’s great to see using empathetic language, either through text or email or a number of different channels to reach out to members, and there’s more engagement.”
This shift recognizes that early, empathetic communication isn’t intrusive; it’s helpful. Members appreciate knowing their credit union is watching out for them before small issues become major problems.
Eltropy Collections BU VP Michael Pupil Talks Modernizing Proactive Collections Practices
Why Empathy Is the Foundation of Modern Credit Union Collections?
“The most important word for any team in collections is empathy,” Pupil emphasizes, capturing what may be the most significant cultural shift in collections strategy. This isn’t just feel-good rhetoric; it’s a practical response to changing member expectations and the fundamental mission of credit unions.
Jesus Garcia, Chief Experience Officer at OceanAir Federal Credit Union, exemplifies this approach. Pupil shares: “It’s great having somebody like him at the helm, because he sees it from not just collections, but just a member experience part, right? And imparting some of those words of wisdom in a department like collections is important.”
When collections teams lead with empathy, they naturally gravitate toward communication strategies that preserve member dignity while solving problems. The goal shifts from “recovering funds” to “helping members get back on track”, and that mindset changes everything.
How Does Technology Enhance Rather Than Replace Human Connection In Collections?
A common concern about collections automation is that it removes the human touch from sensitive financial conversations. But technology leaders presented a different perspective: the right collections technology creates more space for meaningful human interactions.
Kris Frantzen from Temenos articulates this balance: “When it comes to collections, there’s a different set of requirements. Right now, people are okay getting text messages when it comes to marketing or my application, but when you’re texting them about delinquency, it’s a little bit more sensitive discussion, and you need partners to understand that. And Eltropy really came to the forefront of somebody who understood that was committed to it going forward.”
This understanding led Temenos to partner with Eltropy rather than building native texting capabilities. The partnership now serves over 650 credit unions on both the collections and origination sides, demonstrating how specialized expertise in sensitive communications creates better outcomes than one-size-fits-all solutions.
The question isn’t whether to adopt technology in collections, it’s how to implement it in ways that enhance the human element that defines credit union service.
REPAY’s Joe Eby Take on How Self-Service Payments Enhance Member Experience
What Does “Amazonification” Mean For Credit Union Collections Experience?
One concept that resonated throughout the conference was what Eltropy’s leadership calls “the Amazonification” – the expectation of click, click, done simplicity in every interaction. But this isn’t about credit unions competing with each other or even with national banks.
Pupil explains the real competition: “The idea behind the creation of Collections 2.0 is really not for credit unions to compete with each other, not even to necessarily compete with the national banks. It’s actually to kind of stem the bleeding towards payday lending. And that ease of use justifies, or at least explains, the proliferation of those organizations simply because of a growing number.”
The proliferation of predatory lending services isn’t primarily about rates or terms; it’s about convenience. When members face financial pressure, they often choose the easiest path forward, even if it’s more expensive in the long run. Credit unions must match or exceed that ease of use while providing the empathetic, member-focused service that defines their mission.
Samy Kogan from Swivel emphasizes why this matters: “UI and UX for us are very important. We have dedicated product designers, we have dedicated product managers to, again, I use the word, simplify the user experience. And that’s what we’re looking for because they’re getting that in the retail environment. They’re getting that simplification on an Uber app or on, dare I say, Amazon once again. We always use that as the bar.”
Why Self-Service Payments Are Critical in Modern Collections?
Self-service payments for credit unions aren’t just about member convenience; it transforms the employee experience as well. Joe Eby from REPAY explains the dual benefit: “We really try to promote as part of our services is more self-service payments. So, making sure that the member experience or the client experience, in the case of community banks, is great. It’s seamless. It’s easy. And that’s really what we want to do, is just make sure it’s going to be a great member experience or client experience. And then obviously make things a lot smoother and easier for the employees at the credit unions and the banks as well.”
Credit union staff working on collections need efficient tools to handle sensitive conversations. Eby explains how this works in practice: “If someone’s having a conversation over the phone with a member, they’re trying to maybe handle a delinquency or something like that, a collections-type scenario, we want to make sure that they can actually capture that payment over the phone or even maybe send the member or the client a payment link as well. So that’s embedded, very easy to use. We can do that via Email or SMS Text as well.”
Real-time reporting, comprehensive dashboards, and integrated communication channels mean staff spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on meaningful member interactions. The technology handles logistics; humans handle empathy.
SWIVEL’s Samy Kogan on Simplifying the Payments Flow via Texting
The Competitive Advantage of Early Technology Adoption in Credit Unions?
Early technology adoption in credit unions requires courage because it means investing resources before the ROI is proven. Pupil shares insights about Xavier Carillo from Unify Credit Union: “I don’t want to say a risk taker, but he was a very early adopter in a lot of technologies. He was one of the first to go live with Akuvo. He was using Eltropy about five, six years ago, before texting really exploded on the scene. So what I took from him is just the courageous ability for him to put the business proposal for the adoption of technology, and he is grateful for it today.”
The competitive advantage these early adopters gain, in member satisfaction, operational efficiency, and collection rates, validates that calculated risk. Pupil notes the benefit of having panelists at different stages: “All of the credit unions that were in attendance are at different levels of adoption of these technologies. So the best part about having a panel like this is that you had organizations that were at different stages of the implementation of these technologies, and sharing their insights. Hopefully, what it did was turn other credit unions to either dip their toes into the pool or get in a little bit deeper.”
How Collections and Loan Origination Are Becoming One Connected Journey
The partnerships discussed at Emerge reveal a maturing ecosystem where specialized providers integrate seamlessly to create comprehensive solutions.Â
Frantzen from Temenos outlines how their partnership with Eltropy spans the entire member journey: “Both on the collection side and on the origination side, so just a really good match in terms of what they do really well, where they’re investing and what we do with our core competencies.”
On the origination side, Frantzen explains: “Just think of it like making sure that there are different communication options throughout the course of an application process. Whether that’s even initiating the process, or how you’ve been approved and want to get you a message. There are different milestones throughout the application process that we just want to be able to initiate those text messages.”
The integration creates seamless experiences: “Making sure that that is real time, seamlessly integrated with the platform through which the decisioning is happening, through good more, the fulfillment is happening so that everybody knows where everything is at all times, and the applicant is kept aware. When and how it’s most convenient for them.”
Looking forward, Frantzen sees continued evolution: “Enhancing the existing integration we have on the origination side to even make that richer and more turnkey to be able to bring in some of those newer capabilities like the video chat.”
Video chat in collections might sound surprising, but it represents the natural extension of meeting members in their preferred channels. Some conversations benefit from face-to-face interaction, even when both parties are remote.
Temenos’ Kris Frantzen Talks About Eltropy’s Impact on Collections and Origination
Why Strategic Technology Partnerships Matter in Collections 2.0
Collections technology enables operational scale, but strategic partnerships enable institutional trust.Â
The most successful collections strategies combine both: using automated communication technology to handle routine payment reminders efficiently while preserving and strengthening the human connections that define credit union membership value.
When credit unions and their collections technology partners move beyond transactional vendor relationships to genuine strategic partnerships, both sides become invested in member financial success. This partnership alignment creates better outcomes, not just in collection recovery rates, but in member satisfaction scores, staff efficiency improvements, and the long-term health of credit union member relationships.
The transformation of collections from a reactive, compliance-focused back-office function to a proactive, relationship-building member service opportunity represents one of the most significant shifts in credit union operations.Â
Those who embrace this collection evolution, with the right combination of empathy, modern technology, and strategic partnerships, position themselves to serve members better during difficult financial moments and emerge with stronger, more loyal member relationships on the other side.
Ready to transform your collections strategy from reactive to proactive? Discover how Eltropy helps credit unions strengthen relationships while improving collection outcomes. Talk to our experts now!Â
