Metro Credit Union Turns Digital Efficiency Into a Competitive Edge with the Docusign IAM platform

When Traci Michel stepped into the dual role of chief operating officer and chief strategy officer at Metro Credit Union, she wasn’t just focused on operations. She had a bigger goal: make it easier for people to bank with Metro—and for staff to support them.

Metro is the largest state-chartered credit union in Massachusetts, with over 200,000 members and $3.4 billion in assets.

But in a crowded market where products and rates look nearly identical, Michel knew Metro had to compete on something more.

“Our products are very similar to the bank or credit union around the corner, so we’ve been looking to differentiate our experiences,” she said.

That meant removing friction at every touchpoint—from the moment a member is onboarded to everything that comes after.

“We have to create experiences that compete with the best of the best out there,” said Michel. “Working with a trusted brand like Docusign is going to make that happen.”

Friction at the finish line slowed momentum

One of Metro’s fastest-growing areas is indirect auto lending—loans originated at local dealerships, often for borrowers who are new to the credit union.

“It’s really important for us to get this experience right so they may consider expanding their relationship with us in the future,” said Michel.

After financing a loan, borrowers typically use an external bank account to set up autopay.

Metro had already modernized that step with Docusign PowerForms, eliminating paper, printing, and scanning. But the data collected was locked, forcing staff to manually re-enter it into COCC, Metro’s Fiserv DNA-powered banking system.

With more than 600 forms coming in every month, even a few minutes per form added up fast.

“It was holding us back from scaling at the speed we wanted to,” said Michel.

Metro found a no-code fix in the Docusign IAM platform 

Metro was stuck between two experiences: digital on the front end, manual on the back—with no in-house developers to bridge the gap.

That’s when Metro turned to the Docusign Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) platform. Using Maestro—its built-in workflow automation tool—and Glyue™ to automate data flow between systems, they finally closed the loop between front- and back-end operations—without writing a single line of code.

Now, when members submit their payment details in Docusign, the data moves directly into Metro’s core banking system.

“Members have their autopay set up the minute they hit ‘Submit’—and staff feel like they’re supervising a process rather than being hands-on with it,” said Michel.

Data now flows both ways—prepopulating agreements to reduce errors and save everyone time.

“Moving to Intelligent Agreement Management allowed us to unlock that data and make it accessible to all the systems in our ecosystem,” said Michel. “Being able to fall back on the security that Docusign provides—and knowing our member information is safe—is really important to us, too.”

Faster, more seamless onboarding—with 90% less lift

The impact was immediate: onboarding sped up, errors dropped, and manual work shrunk from 50 hours per month to just five.

“We improved our operating efficiency by 75% within four weeks of go-live,” said Michel. “And we’re already implementing enhancements that will bring that number up to 90%.”

But for Michel, the real win wasn’t just in the numbers. With tedious tasks off their plates, staff can focus on enhancing the products and services that elevate the member experience. “They’ve been freed up to do higher-value work that makes them happier,” she said.

What’s next: smarter engagement from the very first touch

Metro is setting its sights on the top of the funnel. Next up: reaching prospective members right at the dealership finance desk.

Michel’s team is designing workflows with QR codes and SMS messaging built right into that moment of decision—so borrowers can join, sign, and set up autopay on the spot. “It’s a different kind of experience than what we’re seeing from competitors in the market,” she said.

But the move isn’t just about speed. It’s about building trust from the very first touchpoint.

“We’re starting to have some really big ideas about where we can take this—how we can use Docusign to onboard and communicate with members more effectively and really drive those experiences that are differentiators for us,” said Michel.