COK Sodality Co-operative Credit Union Limited is all set to launch its new Universa Digital Core Banking Suite on August 4, 2020,

This new addition to its digital investment, the credit union says, will be fast, modern, browser-based, user-friendly and in real time.

In releasing news of its Universa Digital Core Banking Suite, COK said: “This easy-to-navigate digital banking suite of solutions and services, provided by Canadian company Smart Solution, comes tailored with an advanced visual interface that will be available on mobile and desktop devices. The new system will allow COK’s members to go through the authentication process in all electronic channels by using a single username and password.”

“This will be our third upgrade in three decades,” said chief executive officer of COK Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, who explained the transition from the Cusys System, to the FIN 2000 and now the Smart Solution Universa Premier Digital Core Banking Suite.

“After the Cusys System, we began using FIN 2000 in 1999 which met our needs at that time but was very labour-intensive and consumed a lot of paper. By partnering with Smart Solution to upgrade to the Universa Premier Digital Core Banking Suite, we will now be able to improve our efficiency and allow our members to do more,” continued Assamba.

She noted that although the FIN 2000 had been modified over the years to facilitate the needs of the organisation, the software gradually became unstable as COK’s membership grew to over 250,000 active members.

“COK has become very adaptive over the years, which is evident in the implementation of IT projects to drive productivity, efficiency and increase our surpluses, “said Deryke Smith, the core banking system project sponsor.

The project implementation has span over two years. The system was carefully tailored, tested and the staff extensively trained to ensure a high level of competence in using the new Universa Premier Digital Core Banking Suite. “Training is so important because we want to ensure that when we go live, team members will be able to execute and better serve our members,” said Tina Livingston, COK’s business lead.

“Our team members have been working late nights and weekends to ensure that our valued COK members get a banking solution that they desire, and we are excited to share this latest project with them,” Livingston added.

“The key feature of the Universa suite is that it takes advantage of the advancement in graphical user interface technology,” said Isakalu Duffus, technical project manager at COK. He noted that the benefits to the credit union, staff and members include increased productivity, efficiency and member satisfaction through the inclusion of a modern mobile application, Internet banking, interactive voice, along with an alert management system to enhance the way business is transacted with the credit union.