Successful bank mergers hinge on building trust, and that starts with technology integration.
Mergers and acquisitions are reshaping the financial services industry, but the headlines only tell half the story. As Savana President & COO Emily Steele writes in BAI Banking Strategies, the real question after any deal is simple: will it create lasting value or quietly erode trust? As Emily explains:
“Real value comes from a cohesive strategy, one that starts with the right technology to enable seamless operations, strong experiences, and long-term growth.”
Why Technology Matters Most
Integration is often the most underestimated part of M&A planning. Customers don’t care about internal migration timelines, they expect their apps to work, their accounts to be accessible, and their relationships to stay consistent. Without cohesive systems, institutions risk losing both existing and newly acquired customers.
Emily emphasizes that every merger is also a test of loyalty:
- Customers expect consistency across digital channels, branches, and call centers.
- Employees need unified systems and processes to serve effectively.
- Both groups look for trust during periods of change.
In fact, in 2024 there were 22 credit union acquisitions of banks, a record high and a sign of evolving ambitions and increasingly blurred lines between traditional financial segments. This only raises the stakes for seamless technology integration.
Building Trust Through Technology
A successful M&A integration hinges on:
- Unified identity and access management, one login across all channels.
- Real-time data synchronization, accurate information for both staff and customers.
- Consistent experience patterns, so every touchpoint feels like part of the same institution.
These aren’t just technical tasks. They are the foundation of trust in a newly merged institution. And expectations are high: 73% of consumers now expect to start and complete a product application across multiple channels without friction, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Digital Banking Survey.
More Than Systems
Mergers between banks and credit unions, for example, highlight the need for cultural and technological alignment. By adopting modular, API-driven systems, forward-looking institutions are creating flexible platforms that not only ease integration but fuel long-term innovation. Emily notes:
“Integration isn’t an afterthought; it’s the strategy that directly impacts customer trust and long-term value.”
At Savana, we believe technology is the connective thread in every merger, unifying people, processes, and experiences. With the right strategy from day one, banks and credit unions don’t just merge. They elevate.
Read Emily’s full article on BAI
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