Special edition celebrating Women’s History Month 2023! Stay tuned for more intriguing profiles.
In what is a recurring feature, Finopotamus spotlights innovative women who are positively impacting technology applications in the credit union industry, and beyond.
For this issue, we visited with Erin Wynn, NCR Corporation’s executive director of product management for digital banking. Counting more than 600 credit unions and banks as clients, the Atlanta-based consulting and technology company provides professional electronic products, including ATM software and hardware services, in 160 countries.
By W.B. King
With a focus on "giving control back" to community financial institutions in a “low or no code” manner, Erin Wynn told Finopotamus she is proud of the financial wellness innovations her team at NCR Corporation is currently pursuing.
“We are providing credit unions with a robust set of tools aimed at helping members improve their financial fitness, an initiative that has never been so important,” she continued. “We’re helping credit unions to customize their digital channel without requiring the expertise of a programmer or coder, which many don’t have in house. This allows them to create unique, personalized experiences for each segment of their user base through easy self-service.”
Graduating from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing, Wynn started her career in an entry-level banking position in 1998. Four years later, after earning a Master of Professional Accounting degree from the University of West Georgia, she made the transition to fintech working as a client training specialist at Digital Insight. The company, which was acquired by NCR Corporation in 2014, serves as NCR’s digital banking platform.
“After eight years of focusing on sales and showcasing our platform, I became executive director of product management for digital banking at NCR,” she said. In this role, Wynn helps community financial institutions “develop strategies for implementing digital transformation and enhancing respective roadmap initiatives.”
This approach, she added, empowers credit unions and banks to help members and customers improve their financial wellness. “It’s a particular passion of mine that’s driven my career in banking.”
Flexibility, Customization and Control
Reflecting on industry changes, Wynn said that in 2002, for example, digital banking was “secondary” to other areas of the business. “Even in 2010, cell phones and the internet weren’t as relied upon in our daily lives, and so the mindset of digital banking was a checkbox in their offerings,” she noted, explaining that there has been a notable and welcome shift in this mindset.
“Now, credit unions are using the power of the digital channel to drive growth, efficiencies and stronger member relationships,” Wynn said. “We’ve seen credit unions really embrace digital transformation, bringing the technology team into larger strategic discussions across the organization.”
As a result, she feels that there’s a “greater desire for flexibility, customization and control” in digital products and solutions. “Credit unions are pushing the envelope more than anyone else around personalization and innovation and creating unique experiences to better serve their members.”
While Wynn has also seen an increase of women entering the financial services tech space in recent years, what’s equally encouraging are women assuming leadership positions.
“We’ve seen women in sales and customer service roles for years, but now we are seeing them in traditionally male dominated roles such as product managers, chief financial officers and engineers,” she said. “It’s amazing to see women developing our products and driving innovation; they bring a different perspective and enable us and our customers to connect more broadly.”
For Wynn, NCR’s former Chief Product Officer of Digital Banking Erica Pilon served as one of many mentors who helped shape her career.
“She [Erica] gave a wonderful example of how to lead a successful, innovative team while also having fun,” Wynn recalled. “She taught me that it’s important to celebrate even the smallest accomplishments and demonstrated the importance of leading with empathy.”
Industry Trends to Watch: Personalization and Financial Health
While not necessarily focused solely on one-to-one experiences, Wynn is keeping note of personalization — identifying and creating segments that make each financial interaction feel unique to the member.
“Credit unions have always been strong in knowing their members, and they’re having to determine how to maintain these close relationships and personalized experiences as more shifts to digital channels,” she shared. “Leading credit unions are starting to shift their focus from transactional interactions to member focused engagements.”
Another trend on her radar is the prioritization of financial health. “This can be an extremely daunting area for members to approach, so we’re seeing an increase in credit unions trying to make financial health more bite-sized, or manageable,” she said.
“If members can start accomplishing goals, even small ones, that’s when behavior starts to meaningfully change,” Wynn continued. “We are excited about the tools we’re creating to help members self-serve and gain confidence in their financial decisions.”
The key differentiator for credit unions in the financial services space, she said, is being “laser focused” on the impact every decision has on membership.
“We often come across credit unions that are making significant technology decisions based on what will make members feel valued and important, not just another number,” she noted. “Credit unions tend to consider the ‘why’ behind every decision, big or small, which is something I really admire.”