Days of work, done in hours: Unlocking speed and greater service at Northwest
Learn how Northwest Federal Credit Union transformed member service with Salesforce, cutting case times from days to hours and boosting efficiency across teams.
About Northwest Federal Credit Union
Northwest Federal Credit Union (Northwest) is one of Virginia’s largest credit unions and ranks among the top 60 nationwide. Since 1947, Northwest has helped more than 279,000 members with a mission to “serve and inspire to transform lives.” The credit union manages over $4 billion in assets and offers a wide range of financial services to individuals, families, and businesses, empowering them to reach their full potential.
As Northwest has continued to grow, so has the complexity of its operations and member engagement needs.
Creating a connected member experience
Despite having data management systems in place, Northwest’s internal operations were slow, siloed, and inefficient. Sales, service, and marketing teams ran on disconnected tools with inconsistent processes. Manual workflows and duplicate data entry made it hard to deliver a consistent, personalized member experience.
Northwest needed to unify its systems and create a shared, real-time view of every member. They set clear goals: streamline operations across teams, connect data to unlock smarter engagement, and reduce dependency on legacy systems.
Fast value realization is critical to the success of any FSC rollout. A phased approach gets customers hands-on with the platform early, which helps build internal champions, drive momentum, and reduce adoption barriers.
Sr Account Executive, Zennify
Project connect: Strategic digital transformation
To make that vision a reality, Northwest partnered with Zennify to launch Project Connect, a phased digital transformation initiative designed to quickly roll out Salesforce across the organization with minimal disruption.
Northwest approached the transformation with a “crawl, walk, run” mindset. The team prioritized user adoption, incremental wins, and change resilience. Early phases focused on internal-facing teams first to gain traction before expanding into deeper operations.
The project was divided into two key phases:
Phase one - fast path to value
In just three months, Zennify deployed Salesforce Financial Services Cloud (FSC) for approximately 267 sales-focused users. The initial phase was centered on sales enablement, equipping users with immediate access to member profiles, and cross-sell opportunities within a single platform. Additionally, Marketing Cloud was introduced to centralize email communications, automate member journeys, and provide targeted outreach based on member data.
Phase two - integration and service expansion
Building on the Phase One foundation, Zennify expanded FSC to an additional 180 users, incorporating service teams and implementing case management capabilities. The legacy DNA Activity Manager was retired, consolidating service workflows within FSC. To further streamline operations, MuleSoft was integrated to connect directly with Northwest’s DNA Core Banking System and Nautilus Document Management System, enabling real-time data flow and eliminating manual data entry.
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Unifying data and driving operational efficiency
Zennify’s approach was not just about deploying Salesforce; it was about creating a unified, data-driven CRM strategy that aligned sales, service, and marketing. Key solution components included:
- Unified Member View: A centralized, 360-degree view of each member, accessible to both sales and service teams, consolidating data from multiple systems into FSC.
- Referral and Lead Management: Standardized intake and routing of referrals and leads, ensuring transparency and accountability, while providing actionable insights for cross-sell opportunities.
- MuleSoft Integration: Direct connections to source systems enabled real-time data access, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors. Integrated systems included the DNA Core Banking System and Nautilus Document Management System.
- Marketing Cloud Journeys: Targeted, data-driven email campaigns and automated member journeys to drive deeper engagement, aligning member outreach with financial goals and life stages.
The outcome?
While full metrics are still being gathered, user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Teams report that tasks that once took days to finish are now completed in hours. The switch from legacy systems was described as smoother than expected, with increased visibility and reduced friction in daily operations.
"Everything is faster now. We've reduced manual data entry and automated case routing. The users are able to enter leads and cases quicker than before”
— Jessica DeGregorio, CRM System Manager, Northwest
Real-time data, rapid results
Replacing DNA Activity Manager with FSC cut case times from days to hours and reduced system switching.
Real-time data access through MuleSoft provided a single source of truth, aligning sales and service efforts.
Phase One of FSC gave sales teams fast access to member data, accelerating sales cycles and boosting engagement.
What’s next? Enhancing member personalization & segmentation
With the foundational systems now in place, Northwest is focused on further enhancing their Salesforce usage. The next step involves expanding Marketing Cloud to enable more targeted and personalized communications, ensuring member interactions are aligned with individual financial goals and life stages. As they look to optimize internal operations, Northwest is also exploring ways to enhance asset tracking and facilities management, leveraging Salesforce to centralize and simplify data access across the organization.
Northwest’s commitment to delivering a seamless member experience is evident as they continue to invest in scalable technology. Together, Zennify is helping them bring their mission to life, at every touchpoint.
Working with Zennify has set the foundation for long-term success. Their strategic approach and understanding of our goals made them the ideal partner to help us transform how we serve our members.
CRM System Manager, Northwest
