Seamless openings, Exceptional experiences
Citadel’s leadership taps Candescent for digital account opening solution to support the credit union’s growth ambitions.
Our impact
Citadel Credit Union transform account opening into a growth engine
Reduction in application time
YoY increase in funnel conversion
Faster completion rate for new business account opening applications
“Candescent isn’t just a vendor to us—they’re a true partner. They understand where we’re trying to go, they challenge us to think differently, and they stay engaged well beyond implementation. That partnership has been critical to sustaining momentum and continuing to improve the experience.”
A trusted credit union evolving how relationships begin in a digital-first world
By 2018, Citadel recognized its existing digital account opening experience was no longer aligned with member expectations or growth ambitions. Application times were lengthy, completion rates remained low, and incremental enhancements failed to deliver meaningful improvement. At the same time: • Members expected fast, intuitive, mobile-first experiences • Internal teams needed more efficient workflows • Strategic growth required avoiding another siloed technology stack Citadel’s leadership saw the need not simply for new technology, but for a rethinking of account opening as an end-to-end experience capable of evolving over time.
By 2018, Citadel recognized its existing digital account opening experience was no longer aligned with member expectations or growth ambitions.
Application times were lengthy, completion rates remained low, and incremental enhancements failed to deliver meaningful improvement. At the same time:
- Members expected fast, intuitive, mobile-first experiences
- Internal teams needed more efficient workflows
- Strategic growth required avoiding another siloed technology stack
Citadel’s leadership saw the need not simply for new technology, but for a rethinking of account opening as an end-to-end experience capable of evolving over time.
A trusted credit union evolving how relationships begin in a digital-first world
By 2018, Citadel recognized its existing digital account opening experience was no longer aligned with member expectations or growth ambitions. Application times were lengthy, completion rates remained low, and incremental enhancements failed to deliver meaningful improvement. At the same time: • Members expected fast, intuitive, mobile-first experiences • Internal teams needed more efficient workflows • Strategic growth required avoiding another siloed technology stack Citadel’s leadership saw the need not simply for new technology, but for a rethinking of account opening as an end-to-end experience capable of evolving over time.
By 2018, Citadel recognized its existing digital account opening experience was no longer aligned with member expectations or growth ambitions.
Application times were lengthy, completion rates remained low, and incremental enhancements failed to deliver meaningful improvement. At the same time:
- Members expected fast, intuitive, mobile-first experiences
- Internal teams needed more efficient workflows
- Strategic growth required avoiding another siloed technology stack
Citadel’s leadership saw the need not simply for new technology, but for a rethinking of account opening as an end-to-end experience capable of evolving over time.
Faster execution, shared prioritization, and ongoing innovation
Citadel selected Candescent as its digital account opening partner, focusing first on consumer digital onboarding.
The July 2020 launch, during a period of rapidly accelerating digital adoption, demonstrated immediate value. From the outset, Citadel approached the initiative as a long-term transformation rather than a one-time implementation and has since expanded.
This collaborative partnership has allowed for faster execution, shared prioritization, and ongoing innovation.
Key Capabilities
Digital Account Opening
A complete, end‑to‑end journey across every product and channel
Business account opening
One of the most significant advancements was Citadel’s move to true non-documentary onboarding.
Operational & cultural impact
By standardizing on a single platform and unwinding self-imposed process bottlenecks, Citadel reduceded internal handoffs improved employee confidence and adoption
Reduced Friction
Citadel reduced internal handoffs and rework while creating consistent workflows across digital and branch channels
Promising shift in behavior and perception
Increased engagement
A more intuitive digital experience is already encouraging stronger member adoption and interaction. Early feedback and pilot results suggest Horizon’s modernized experience is making everyday banking feel easier and more natural.
Non-documentary onboarding
Today, 72% of applications flow end-to-end digitally, allowing staff to focus their time on higher-risk or exception cases—rather than manually reviewing every application.
Enhanced brand perception
Candescent’s extensible platform design enables developers to incorporate third-party solutions seamlessly, and with the look and feel of a single application.
See How Intelligent Banking Can Transform Your Institution
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