Expanded Services

When Envision Financial was created four years ago by the merger of B.C.’s Delta Credit Union and First Heritage Savings, one of its important challenges was member retention. To ensure that it continued to offer the kind of outstanding service that differentiates it from mainstream banks. Envision made the strategic decision to adopt the Fincentric banking platform.

Highly flexible and customizable, this platform gives members real-time access to the accounts at any time, via the phone and online. “We want to be high-touch, high-technology,” says Jeff Connery, Chief Information Officer with Envision.

Adopting Fincentric meant migrating Delta and First heritage legacy systems onto the new platform. Envision contracted TELUS to facilitate this. At the same time, they opted for TELUS to host the new system at its Burnaby Internet Data Centre and to provide ongoing support. By contracting out management and monitoring of the servers they would have guaranteed 24x7 access to their banking applications. The decision also freed Envision’s own technical resources to focus on value-added strategic IT projects, rather than on implementing enhancements and upgrades to the software.

At its inception, Envision used a point-to-point T1 network for its data traffic and a PBX for voice communications. But running leased lines to all its branches over a Wide Area network was a significant expense. Envision also required faster bandwidth, a more managed environment and the ability to layer on future applications. After exploring its options, Envision decided to move everything onto the TELUS managed Metro Area Network, connecting its 18 branches, insurance offices, corporate office and IT department. The high level of redundancy on the network ensures business continuity, while the cost reductions have been significant. “We realized an $80,000 savings over the last year,” says Connery.

The decision to migrate to Metro network also made it possible for Envision to take full advantage of IP telephony. The credit union now uses a Cisco AWID VoIP system in all branch locations, giving employees access to IP features and applications such as instant conferencing, intelligent call routing and having the entire corporate phone directory available on every phone. One of Envision’s future goals is to start using its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system on its IP phones.

“Canadian enterprises require technology that improves business efficiency with a quick demonstration of value. Advanced service providers such as TELUS understand that providing business solutions that incorporate transport technology is critical to their customers’ success.” – Carrie MacGillivray, Analyst, Yankee Group.

Envision recently formed a unique partnership with First Calgary Savings, knows as the Pathways Project. This is to share technology and align services to allow for enhanced product and service offerings, faster product development and improved ways to access new services. Unlike a traditional merger where one organization loses its identity, the Pathways initiative will see both credit unions maintain their strong brands and continue to win their local markets. They hope to extend this to have other like minded credit unions join the Pathways initiative.

While credit unions are not allowed to merge or do business inter-provincially, Envision and First Calgary are creating an organization that will provide shared services while still respecting these rules. To help achieve this, First Calgary’s 15 branches began migrating to the same Fincentric banking platform as Envision at the end of 2005.

“TELUS is providing services to our banking system implementation to First Calgary as well as providing facilities management and disaster recovery,” says Connery, who is also CIO to First Calgary. “And we are exploring VoIP with TELUS to the First Calgary operations.”

Envision connects its 18 branches, insurance offices, corporate office and IT department over a TELUS managed Metro Area Network – a considerable saving over leased T1 lines.

Connery credits TELUS with playing a key role in designing and managing Envision’s network. Now, as Envision and First Calgary set the stage for a Canadian regional financial network, they will continue looking to TELUS to provide the technology and geographic reach they need.

Solution Benefits

• Improved member service without adding to IT staff responsibilities
• Savings of $80,000 in just one year
• The ability to layer on new applications, such as IP telephony and CRM