Frequently Asked Questions About Home Banking

How long does it take to implement HomeCU home banking?

As a general rule, it takes less than 30 days to implement HomeCU Batch and less than 60 days to implement HomeCU Live!. The actual time usually depends on when you can get the interface from your core system vendor installed on your system.

Do you charge extra to host our Web site?

No, we don’t charge extra to host your site. We noticed right off that most members go directly to home banking. That’s why we provide web site hosting at no extra charge when you use home banking. Of course you can keep your web site with your favorite ISP if you want. The advantage of hosting with us is that you can also use our calculators, loan applications, and secure forms.

We don’t have a domain name yet. Can you register one for us?

Of course. We’ll help you find a domain name, and we’ll set it up. And in case you’re wondering, we don’t charge extra for that service. In fact, we even pay the first year’s registration fee and most important, when we are done you will own the domain name and you will be the administrator of your own domain name.

Can we update our own Web site?

Yes. We are a little bit picky about security though, so you can’t use ftp or Microsoft FrontPage. However, we will provide the means and training if you want to be your own webmaster.

What do upgrades cost?

Nothing. You’ll never see a version number on HomeCU software (as in HomeCU 1.7 or HomeCU 10.0). That’s because we are constantly updating HomeCU. Updates are instantaneous and free of charge. Everybody has the latest and the greatest.

In fact, if you call us and ask for a new feature, we’ll probably say, "Hmmm, everyone will probably want that." And we’ll add it for everyone free of charge. The only (rare) exceptions are for features that have to be set up individually for each credit union.

We are going to be switching core system vendors soon. Should I wait to implement home banking?

If "soon" means you’ll be switching in less than a month, you should probably wait. If "soon" will take longer than a month, you can go ahead and set up home banking now. One of the great features about home banking is that it is completely portable. You don’t have to change your home banking system when you change your core system.

Are you guys going to be around in 6 months?

Given the current climate and the short lifespan of many dot-com companies, we understand if potential customers are a little bit nervous and feel like you have to ask this.

Fortunately, our company has been profitable from its beginning in 1989—way before there was a "dot-com era." When our home banking service grew out of our consulting business in 1995, we didn’t take on venture capital, go public, sell banner ads, give away everything for free and make it up on volume, or make many of the other mistakes of the now defunct dot-com companies.

As a result, we are still here (and doing well, thank you). We grew the business with no debt, no outside investors, and no outside controlling interests.

Our company is in great shape, primarily because we started as a software development company (not a dot-com) and diversified into home banking for credit unions. Every year, we’ve been profitable, cash-flow positive, and growing.

Do I need a high-speed line?

Many of our credit unions have only a dial-up Internet account. That’s really all you need for our batch home banking product. For our Live! online service, we recommend at least a 56K dedicated Internet connection. If you’re considering Live!, we should talk (else this FAQ may decay into techno-babble).

Why don’t you charge per member?

We want you to know exactly what our service will cost. We want our home banking to be the most successful product you’ve ever launched. We want you to feel free to promote to all your members without fear that your costs will increase. After all, if you have happy members, we have happy credit unions, and everyone wins.

What if I have a problem or a question after implementing HomeCU?

Don’t worry, we’re not going to leave you hanging. Any time you have a problem or a question, we’ll help you right away. In fact, we regularly monitor the performance of all our HomeCU applications. So if you hit a technical snag, we’ll often know about it before you do. And of course, we encourage you to call or e-mail us any time you have suggestions for improving HomeCU.