E-Central started the conversion in January and plans to unveil the new products in the near future, according to Theodore.

"The conversion process has given us the opportunity to validate our existing practices while making improvements where necessary," he said. "The end result will allow us to better serve our members and make us a more efficient organization."

Founded in 1943, E-Central has approximately 17,000 members who are primarily SEG-based, as well as an expanded field of membership that allows anyone in California's San Gabriel Valley to join the credit union.

E-Central also offers other leading edge technologies such as secure electronic document viewing and remote signature capture services, the person-to-person (P2P) service Popmoney, online account opening and a funding solution for existing and new members. The credit union also plans to deploy a new website in the near future.

Fiserv's installation approach includes incorporating ancillary solutions to the core system in order to make a back office's connectivity with the front office as seamless as possible. The advantage of seamless integration across online, mobile and payment systems is that it brings all account information together in a single presentation, no matter which channel is used.

"This allows the member to understand what is going on with their finances," Steve Shaw, vice president of strategy marketing for Fiserv's digital and electronic payments division, explained.

"That is the beauty of what we are trying to do across channels," Shaw said. "We have one integration point, so the member needs just one credential to travel across all digital channels. Wherever they need to log on, it is the same credential, same access."

Some recent reports suggested that not only is online banking dead – online bill pay is, too. But both E-Central and Fiserv said they believe both are very much alive. Shaw believes the use of online banking is changing, however.

"The online banking channel as a standalone offering, as the only channel the consumer uses – that is dead," he said.

He explained consumers leverage multiple devices on multiple digital channels to access information wherever and whenever they want.

Fiserv, he said, performed interesting research over the last 12-18 months on the subject, finding that smartphone banking primarily entails quick, 60-second transactions such as checking balances, making transfers and receiving alerts. More complicated tasks such as adding a payee, conducting analysis or researching a product usually involves a PC. Tablet use generally entails more laid-back activities such as watching videos.

"The character of the device plays into the kind of activity members perform," Shaw said.

While Shaw believes online bill pay is not dead altogether either, he said financial institutions need to look at the experiences they present to accountholders. Sometimes, financial institutions make the bill pay process difficult by adding new payee or payment options.

"We are looking at changing the experience and integrating those payment and transfer options, and reinventing bill pay to drive greater usage," Shaw said, adding that often the payer wants to choose the best way to pay, transfer funds or use P2P – an option that is not always available.

Fiserv is blending its CheckFree RXP and Popmoney services to allow consumers the choice between electronic bill pay and P2P. Through the blended service, the consumer can use an email address, phone number or paper check image to send money.

"We provide convenience to the member and a fee opportunity for the credit union," Shaw said.