Apple Federal Credit Union launched a new cloud banking platform, nCino, in June 2023. It aims to give potential members a significantly faster online account opening experience and provide a complete digital experience from account opening to loan disbursal where members can self-serve at all steps. To familiarize staff with the platform and its benefits, Apple Federal Credit Union created the nCino training program.
Program Details
Delivered in an instructor-led “sandbox” setting, the program introduced staff to nCino and provided three basic account opening scenarios they could encounter in their role. Specific learning objectives included:
- An understanding of the basic navigation of the nCino system
- Knowledge of the new terminology
- The ability to create a new membership and add products
- Being able to process memberships that were started online
- Being able to explain the purpose of the change to members and get their buy-in
An instructor guided students through a scenario walkthrough. Then the learners independently completed a scenario-based practice in the sandbox, creating a new membership and reinforcing what they learned. Due to the nature of the system and scenarios, there were many variables and factors present. Talent Development identified that one of the best ways to learn was to experiment in the system in a controlled environment, where learners could ask questions and learn from each other. The department had used sandbox learning before, but not to this degree. In the past, Talent Development had either done shorter sandbox sessions as part of a training class or had a testing period after the training class, where staff go in, experiment, and use a group chat to ask questions. For nCino training, half of the day was dedicated to sandbox learning.
Talent Development also brought change champions from each branch into the train-the-trainer session and testing environment. They served as subject matter experts for each branch and helped ease the transition to the new system. The change champions fielded the staff’s questions on the go-live day and days after and either handled the questions themselves or escalated the questions to the training team.
Training was reinforced during skill practice activities and the final assessment. The skill practice activities reinforced that staff could perform all three scenarios in the system from start to finish. The final assessment confirmed the comprehension of the key points. A procedures manual also was created for reference.
As enhancements to the nCino platform continue, Talent Development will train the staff virtually during Quarterly Tech Refreshers. These sessions are recorded and available to all staff.
Results
nCino went live in June 2023. From January to May 2023, the organization added an average of 1,674 new members per month. In June, the learners brought in 2,248 new members, and in July, 2,457 new members. The credit union was set to exceed its year-end goal and finish with 23,414 new members in 2023.
