Will Holland is the Principal of Strategy and Marketing (PoSM) at ThreeWill, where he champions our core values by shaping and sharing how ThreeWill helps employees thrive. Using his love for storytelling, Will leverages his unique ability to balance technical depth and strategic vision, bridging the gap between developers and business leaders through clear, creative communication. Outside of work, Will can usually be found at the nearest soccer pitch, either cheering for his kids or for Atlanta United.
For many credit unions, managing branch traffic and ensuring smooth customer interactions is a daily challenge. Advisors and branch teams need to track who’s coming in, assign members to the right representatives, and monitor service times—all while delivering a frictionless experience for members.
But what happens when the tool that’s supposed to make all of this easier is actually holding your credit union back?
That’s exactly the situation we encountered recently. A credit union we worked with had been using Passageways, a third-party intranet platform that included a built-in Lobby Tracker. Over time, Passageways became slow, unreliable, and outdated—leading the organization to transition its intranet to modern SharePoint Online. However, one major roadblock remained:
The credit union still needed the Lobby Tracker, which meant they had to keep their Passageways licenses active.
The cost? $100,000 a year.
Everything else about the intranet had been modernized, but this one feature was forcing them to keep paying for a system they no longer wanted or needed.
We knew there had to be a better way.
The Hidden Cost of Outdated Systems
This isn’t just an isolated problem. Many credit unions rely on aging technology that no longer fits how their teams work today. Whether it’s a clunky, hard-to-navigate interface, a lack of integration with modern systems, or expensive licensing fees, outdated tools can become an invisible drain on productivity and budgets.
For this credit union, the math was simple:
- $100,000 per year just to keep Passageways alive for a single feature.
- An alternative Power Apps solution could be built for half that cost—once.
- Once the new solution was in place, they could shut down Passageways entirely—saving six figures annually.
That’s the kind of ROI that’s hard to ignore.
Building a Better Lobby Tracker with Power Apps
So how do you replace an outdated system without disrupting branch operations? You build something better.
Using Microsoft Power Apps, we developed a modern Lobby Tracker that:
- ✅ Tracks customer arrivals and wait times in real time.
- ✅ Assigns members to advisors based on availability.
- ✅ Captures key data like appointment status, service type, and advisor efficiency.
- ✅ Integrates with analytics tools like Tableau for performance insights.
The best part? It’s easy to use. Instead of navigating clunky pop-ups and a Windows XP-era interface, advisors now work in a clean, intuitive, and mobile-friendly environment that fits the way they actually work.
Operational Efficiency + Cost Savings = A Win-Win
Beyond the obvious six-figure cost savings, this new solution brought other major benefits:
- Branch operations are now faster and more efficient. Advisors can manage their queues more effectively, ensuring members get served quickly and reducing bottlenecks.
- Better data leads to better decisions. The credit union can now track advisor performance, wait times, and service trends—allowing leadership to make data-driven improvements.
- A modern experience for members and staff. No more frustrating, outdated software. The new system is designed for today’s workforce, making it easier for teams to adopt and use.
Outdated tools like Passageways are holding credit unions back. With Power Apps and Microsoft 365, you can replace costly legacy systems with modern, integrated solutions that actually make work easier—without breaking the bank.