Ohio credit union bets on full-service digital banking to win small businesses.

For years, many credit unions approached business banking with a relatively simple formula: offer checking and savings accounts, perhaps a money market option, and serve local companies alongside retail members.

That approach is no longer enough, according to John Demmler, chief executive of 7 17 Credit Union, who says small businesses now expect financial institutions to provide an integrated suite of services that rivals what they can find from large banks or financial technology firms.

“At 7 17, our business banking model is evolving fast,” Demmler told Tyfone in a recent interview. “To gain business banking opportunities today means offering a full suite of merchant services and receivables,” including payroll processing, treasury management, commercial lending, corporate credit cards, insurance products and real-time payments.

Just as important, he said, business owners increasingly want those capabilities available through a single digital experience rather than spread across multiple providers or departments.

The comments come as credit unions across the country seek to deepen relationships with commercial clients and diversify sources of deposits and lending growth. While consumer banking remains the foundation for many institutions, executives have increasingly pointed to small businesses as an area of opportunity in a competitive financial landscape.

At 7 17 Credit Union, which is based in Warren, Ohio, that strategy is unfolding against a backdrop of mixed financial results. The institution reported more than 126,000 members and roughly $2 billion in assets. According to National Credit Union Administration call report data, it earned $3.4 million during the first quarter of 2026, down from $5 million during the same period a year earlier.

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Demmler argued that attracting business customers requires more than competitive interest rates.

“Business deposit yields are important, but a holistic program that offers all the programs and services that a business needs is more important,” he said.

He pointed to products such as sweep accounts, which help businesses manage operating cash while earning higher returns, as well as pricing structures that avoid charging separate fees for every service.

“The relationship must be about the full value of the program,” Demmler said. “Relationships still matter. Businesses want a partner that can help them grow.”

Technology is playing an increasingly central role in that effort.

Demmler said 7 17 is investing heavily in digital capabilities, beginning with unified card processing systems, improvements to its mobile banking platform and expanded self-service tools for business members.

“There are too many institutions trying to hang on to legacy platforms or programs,” he said. “This doesn’t work.”

He pointed to financial technology companies that have gained traction by introducing products such as merchant cash advances and automated funding tools, saying their speed and flexibility have raised expectations among business owners.

Even so, Demmler believes physical locations and personal relationships remain important differentiators for credit unions. Earlier this month, 7 17 opened a business-focused branch in downtown Akron, a move designed to complement its digital investments with face-to-face service.

“The credit union advantage includes having a personalized, face-to-face relationship with our members, and a holistic approach to their needs,” he said.

Credit unions have traditionally built their reputations around consumer lending and deposit products, but Demmler sees room to extend that philosophy to entrepreneurs and midsize companies.

“I believe that if credit unions build out a solid, modern business banking program we could become the obvious partner for anyone wanting to start or grow their business,” he said.

He suggested that offering business owners the same combination of competitive rates, lower fees and community-oriented service that credit unions have long marketed to consumers could reshape the competitive landscape for commercial banking.

Still, Demmler acknowledged that expanding business services brings significant challenges.

Asked which issue concerns him most over the next five years — economic uncertainty, increasing competition or technology demands — he answered, “All of the above,” before emphasizing the need to modernize products and digital delivery.

“Our biggest challenge is in evolving our product offerings and building out our digital capabilities,” he said, adding that the institution expects to focus even more heavily on business banking services in 2027.

Business customers, he noted, often need to make decisions quickly and expect financial partners to move at the same pace.

“The need to increase the speed at which we move is more important now than ever, and technology is a vital piece of that,” Demmler said.

Economic conditions add another layer of complexity. According to Demmler, uncertainty has prompted many companies to postpone major investments, creating stiffer competition among banks, credit unions and nonbank lenders for a smaller pool of financing opportunities.

Despite those pressures, his outlook remains centered on adaptation rather than retrenchment. As business owners seek unified financial platforms capable of handling payments, lending and cash management in one place, Demmler believes institutions that modernize while preserving personal service will be best positioned to compete.