From paper to digital first: How First Heritage FCU increased estatement adoption by 38%

Overview

First Heritage Federal Credit Union, based in Corning, NY, has more than $700 million in assets and serves over 46,000 members. The credit union strives for excellence in member service and wanted to significantly increase eStatement adoption to cut costs and enhance the digital experience.

Challenge

Members were receiving paper statements at a high cost to the institution — $2–3 per statement, adding up to $12–36 per member annually. While the credit union previously sent emails with links to online banking, members had to click through multiple pages to enroll in eStatements. This friction limited conversions and kept paper costs high.

eStatements are a great way to be environmentally friendly and deliver an exceptional digital member experience. Our previous attempt at converting members introduced friction and generated marginal results.”

Lindsay Cuda, Vice President of Marketing

Solution

First Heritage partnered with Digital Onboarding to streamline the enrollment process using the platform’s exclusive Enrollment Widget. The widget was embedded into three automated onboarding campaigns, each with personalized microsites explaining account setup steps. Members could review terms, opt in to eStatements with a single click, and have their enrollment automatically recorded and processed.

Results

The initiative delivered measurable growth in digital adoption:

• Converted 400+ members to eStatements in the first month
  
• Added 2,300+ new eStatement enrollments in seven months‍
• Achieved a 38% increase in average monthly new member eStatement adoption
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Impact

By removing friction, First Heritage not only reduced printing and postage costs but also delivered a more modern, environmentally friendly member experience. The success of this initiative demonstrated how automation and personalization can transform digital adoption efforts.

Conclusion

First Heritage Federal Credit Union achieved dramatic improvements in eStatement adoption by leveraging Digital Onboarding’s Enrollment Widget. The initiative reduced costs, supported sustainability goals, and improved member satisfaction. Looking ahead, the credit union plans to expand its use of the platform to drive adoption across additional digital services.

Utilizing the Enrollment Widget in the Digital Onboarding engagement platform was a no-brainer for us. We are thrilled at our results this year and the cost savings on printing as well!”

Lindsay Cuda, Vice President of Marketing