How Listerhill Credit Union Partnered to Enhance Efficiency and Service Through Document Management Excellence

With roots dating back to 1937, Listerhill Credit Union has long been committed to providing exceptional service to its members while maintaining operational excellence. As a forward-thinking financial institution, Listerhill recognizes that behind-the-scenes processes like statement and notice management directly impact both member experience and internal efficiency.

The Challenge: Support Struggles and Operational Bottlenecks

Like many credit unions, Listerhill found itself managing complex vendor relationships for critical document processing functions. This situation had evolved over time into a series of operational challenges that were becoming increasingly problematic.

First, their existing document vendor relationship had deteriorated significantly following corporate restructuring. What had once been a productive partnership had become frustrating, with support tickets going unresolved and simple changes becoming difficult to implement.

"With our previous vendor, it had gotten so difficult to get anything done," explains Mike Sockwell, Vice President, Systems Administration at Listerhill. "We weren't having any success with our tickets or problems we were having, which was so unlike them in previous years."

Second, the credit union was managing a hybrid approach to document processing, with statements outsourced but many notices still printed in-house. This required dedicated staff time for printing, folding, stuffing, and mailing documents – tasks that diverted resources from more valuable member-facing activities.

Third, there was a significant delay in getting statements printed and mailed, which meant members were waiting longer than necessary to receive their financial information. Finally, the credit union was struggling with inefficient return mail processes, receiving substantial amounts of physical mail that required manual handling and processing.

Listerhill recognized the need for a comprehensive solution that would address these challenges while enhancing both operational efficiency and member experience.

The Solution: Partnership Built on Experience and Trust

Listerhill began exploring new document management vendors, evaluating several options including a startup formed by former employees of their previous provider. While the personal relationships were valuable, the credit union had concerns about the new company's readiness to support an institution of their size.

Through previous banking experience, Listerhill’s team was familiar with HC3, having worked with them at a prior institution. After thoroughly reviewing their capabilities, the credit union decided to make the switch.

The implementation followed a strategic, phased approach, starting with transitioning their notices first, moving all in-house printed notices to HC3's platform. This immediate change eliminated the manual processes of printing, folding, stuffing, and mailing documents.

After successfully implementing notices, the credit union transitioned their statements to HC3, ensuring both print and electronic delivery were properly configured and tested. Listerhill also moved their document archives to HC3, consolidating check images, statements, and other documents into a single, accessible repository. HC3 also implemented a digital return mail process, providing spreadsheet reports instead of physical returned mail, enabling automated address verification and correction.

Throughout this process, HC3's implementation team worked closely with Listerhill to overcome challenges, particularly in coordinating with the credit union's online banking provider.

"The project implementation team were just really on top of things," Sockwell notes. "They were willing to get involved in the trenches with the vendor...and work through those relationships as well."

The Results: Automation and Efficiency - The New Normal

The implementation of HC3's comprehensive solution has delivered significant benefits across multiple areas of Listerhill's operations. Most notably was its ability to automate many of the manual processes that previously slowed and hindered member communication. The credit union now enjoys a fully automated end-to-end document process, from statement generation through delivery.

"Our processes are all automated," explains Sockwell. "From the time nighttime ran from the month-end, statements were uploaded automatically. They were processed, and the only manual step was going in and approving them, which is our choice. Everything just works."

Redirecting Staff to High-Value Work

By eliminating in-house printing of notices, Listerhill was also able to redirect staff from manual document processing to more valuable activities. In fact, this was nearly one employee’s entire job.

"That was a big part of her job," notes Gayla Gist, Account Services Manager at Listerhill, and who manages the relationship with HC3. "Now we send all the notice files, statement files, everything. We print nothing in-house now. That is a huge time saver for us."

Speed Matters: Delivering Financial Statements Faster

Not only did Listerhill experience operational efficiencies, but member communication has also improved. Members now receive their statements earlier than with the previous provider, enhancing the timeliness of financial information.

"I think we may have gained a little bit of time in the members getting their statements, maybe a day earlier than they used to," Sockwell observes.

Digital Efficiency: Goodbye Paper Returns, Hello Efficiency

The credit union has also dramatically improved its handling of return mail, replacing physical returns with digital reports that enable automated processing.

"HC3 sends a spreadsheet, and we don't have all this paper mail coming back to go through," explains Gist. "Mike's team has created a job that's going to automatically identify those members with bad addresses and note that on the core. That's going to remove that manual process."

Partner Over Vendor

Perhaps most importantly, Listerhill now enjoys a responsive, accessible support relationship that enables quick resolution when issues arise.

"Having somebody I can email, having somebody I can contact, that will respond quickly – that's number one with any vendor," Sockwell emphasizes. "Sometimes it's in the afternoon and evening, and sometimes it's something that can't wait until the next day."

A Model for Credit Union Partnerships

Listerhill's relationship with HC3 represents more than just a vendor arrangement – it's evolved into a true partnership built on shared values and mutual benefit.

The geographic proximity – both organizations are based in Alabama – has fostered a unique relationship that goes beyond typical vendor interactions. This local connection was highlighted when HC3 hosted a meeting for credit unions at their office, facilitating the sharing of ideas and best practices.

"It's a friendly partnership," notes Sockwell. "Maybe it's an Alabama thing, but having them down the road, it just feels different."

Additionally, HC3’s collaborative approach aligns with credit union culture, where institutions often share information to help each other succeed. As Listerhill continues to serve its members, their partnership with HC3 provides a foundation for ongoing operational excellence and innovation in document management – proving that the right strategic relationship can transform even the most fundamental back-office processes into a competitive advantage.

"We love to share with each other things that make our lives easier, which is very specific or unique with credit union life," said Sockwell. "If we've done something that'll help another credit union, we're more than happy to share."