FISHERS, Ind.— Credit unions are facing mounting pressure to deliver the sleek digital experiences business members increasingly expect—without sacrificing the personalized service that sets them apart.
In Indiana, Forum Credit Union is using a new digital banking platform to strike that balance, offering business customers streamlined onboarding, better data, and self-service tools alongside its traditional community touch, PYMNTS reported.
The challenge comes into sharper focus in the 2025 Credit Union Innovation Readiness Index, published by PYMNTS Intelligence in collaboration with Velera. The study found that credit unions that embrace partnerships to speed innovation outperform peers, especially in delivering high-value products. It also highlighted two key risks for retention: 68% of small businesses that left a credit union said they wanted online onboarding, and demand for digital-first experiences runs 78% higher among Gen Z business owners.
Forum is responding with a rollout of Apiture’s Business Banking solution for its 5,000 business members, backed by a Data Intelligence suite that enables personalization and cash-flow insights. The upgrade adds cash management, payments, transfers, and fraud protection in a self-service format designed to meet both microbusinesses and larger commercial clients where they are. Forum leaders, in the PYMNTS report, said the shift reflects a strategic move away from building digital tools in-house toward buying best-in-class capabilities.
The credit union is also segmenting its business portfolio more precisely—from sophisticated contractors needing lines of credit, to LLCs and sole proprietors focused on payments, to a fast-growing base of gig workers migrating from consumer accounts. Forum’s new system allows account aggregation, transaction analysis, and targeted outreach, while its roadmap includes faster digital account opening and deeper business intelligence capabilities, PYMNTS said.
Industry trends suggest the timing is right. PYMNTS Intelligence’s Small Business Growth Monitor shows SMB confidence at multi-year highs, even amid cost and labor pressures. For credit unions, that optimism underscores the urgency of digital transformation: investing now in smarter onboarding, actionable insights, and tailored engagement may prove key to retaining business members in an increasingly competitive marketplace.