Raiz cuts account opening times with Alkami platform

Alkami has published a case study on Raiz Federal Credit Union's use of its digital sales and service platform.

The study says Raiz has expanded its use of Alkami systems across digital banking, account opening, and data and marketing.

Raiz, which serves more than 78,000 members in El Paso, Texas, uses the platform across its online channels, branches, and call centre. The changes reduced account opening and funding times from days to minutes in several parts of its operation.

According to the case study, online account opening fell from as long as nine days to about four minutes. In-branch account opening dropped from 30 to 45 minutes to less than 10 minutes, while call-centre funding times fell from two to three days to about nine minutes.

The figures offer a snapshot of how a regional credit union is reshaping day-to-day banking processes as more financial institutions shift routine activity away from manual workflows. They also highlight pressure on smaller lenders and member-owned institutions to link branch, remote, and digital services more closely.

Raiz has also moved all nine of its branches to a digital model without traditional teller functions or cash drawers. In this setup, member service representatives handle more advisory work, while self-service transactions are completed through the digital banking platform and ATMs.

Fraud and usage

During the first year of using the platform's fraud tools, Raiz prevented more than USD $286,000 in reported fraud, according to the case study. Monthly digital logins also rose from 30% to 49%.

The credit union has gone live with Alkami's digital banking platform and MANTL onboarding and account opening tools, and is implementing Alkami's data and marketing product. Together, those products bring customer acquisition, servicing, and marketing activity into one system.

For Raiz, the project was also tied to staffing and operating priorities. The organisation said it was working with a lean technology team and wanted a more integrated structure that could support member access while reducing manual tasks for staff.

Amy Krasikov, Vice President of Digital Experience at Raiz, described the work as part of a broader effort to extend the institution's service model beyond its branch network.

"Alkami is helping us make banking more accessible, efficient, and connected for our members while preserving the Red Carpet service that defines Raiz," said Amy Krasikov, Vice President of Digital Experience at Raiz. "We're proud to serve the El Paso community today, and we're excited to bring the warmth and care to people across the nation. Through digital banking, we aim to make our support accessible wherever and whenever it's needed. With Alkami, we've created a stronger digital foundation for today while continuing to find new ways to engage members with greater relevance and impact."

The implementation reflects a broader pattern in US retail financial services, where banks and credit unions are seeking faster onboarding and a more consistent customer journey across digital and physical channels. Account opening in particular has become a competitive focus, as delays can lead to abandoned applications and higher service costs.

Branch redesign is another part of that shift. Rather than closing locations, some institutions are changing their role, using staff for product guidance and relationship management while moving cash handling and everyday transactions to self-service systems.

Platform expansion

Raiz has extended its relationship with Alkami to cover the full digital sales and service platform. Alkami sells software to banks and credit unions in the United States, combining onboarding, digital banking, and data-led marketing tools.

Benjamin Conant, Chief Product Officer at Alkami, said the Raiz rollout showed how community financial institutions were approaching service changes without removing personal contact.

"Raiz is demonstrating how community financial institutions can use technology to make banking easier and more accessible without losing the human connection that sets them apart," said Benjamin Conant, Chief Product Officer at Alkami. "By connecting onboarding, digital banking, and data and marketing through Alkami's Digital Sales & Service Platform, Raiz is giving members more convenient ways to bank, helping employees spend more time on meaningful guidance and building a stronger foundation for long-term growth."

The case study centres on one institution, but the operating metrics are likely to be closely watched across the sector, particularly by credit unions trying to raise digital usage while keeping local branch networks in place. For Raiz, the reported changes include cutting online account opening from up to nine days to about four minutes, reducing in-branch account opening to less than 10 minutes, and bringing call-centre funding times down to about nine minutes.