For years, banks and credit unions have relied on loan origination systems (LOS) that struggle to keep pace with changing consumer expectations. What should be simple workflows are often slowed by outdated technology and manual processes. Document collection is paper-heavy, underwriting lacks transparency, and staff are forced to rekey data by hand across disconnected platforms.

Even so-called “automated” solutions have their limits. Many function like black boxes, offering little visibility into how decisions are made. Deposits and loans are managed in separate systems, leaving bankers with fragmented tools, and leaving customers and members with a less-than-seamless experience.

The outcome is more transactional than relational. Borrowers come in for a loan, pay it off, and leave without the opportunity to build deeper ties with their financial institution. That means, for banks and credit unions running on trust and long-term service, the loan origination process is ripe for reinvention. 

That’s why MANTL stepped in.

The MANTL approach to loan origination

MANTL has already long proved that the right digital account opening, driven by innovative technology, can transform deposits. Financial institutions have consistently used the MANTL platform to raise billions in deposits, cut account opening times, and deliver better customer and member experiences. As the platform has matured, MANTL customers have also come to recognize its value as a unified tool for deposit and loan origination. 

That maturity has come from countless hours spent with real financial institutions to understand how to address their pain points, support their goals, and build a truly transformational product.

MANTL understood that reconfiguring legacy systems wouldn’t be enough. They needed to start from scratch, working side by side with banks and credit unions through MANTL’s Loan Development Partner Program. A cohort of more than 10 early-adopter financial institutions joined recurring calls, surfaced pain points, tested prototypes, and shared experiences and best practices. The result was a product shaped by real-world input, rather than baseless vendor assumptions.

Accordingly, the development of MANTL Loan Origination followed a clear set of principles:

• Start with deposits as the foundation. Build on a proven platform that already supports every type of account.
• Design for both bankers and borrowers. Don’t stop at the end user experience. Give bankers the intuitive workflows, visibility into applications, and tools they need to assist borrowers seamlessly, whether they apply online, in-branch, or over the phone.
• Automate across workflows. Use integrations, data pre-fills, and document automation to minimize manual workloads and speed up approvals.
• Make decisioning visible. Replace black-box-type systems with rules that staff can quickly review and understand.

This collaborative, principle-driven approach redefined what loan originations could look like.

Validated by partners, proven in practice

MANTL entered the loan origination space with an idea of the most pressing challenges: manual document collection, opaque underwriting practices, and fragmented customer and member relationships.

After conducting dozens of interviews and working closely with MANTL’s Loan Development Partner Program members, MANTL developed a detailed understanding of the challenges financial institutions were facing, the priorities for their LOS solution, and how they both play out day to day. Partners also surfaced practical ways to make MANTL’s solutions even stronger.

MANTL’s fully integrated LOS delivers end-to-end digital application and document management, integrated eligibility verification, and deep automation that reduces manual efforts at every turn.

The impact is already visible in the market. At Grasshopper Bank, for example, small business owners can pre-qualify for an SBA 7(a) loan in less than 10 minutes, driving a measurable increase in qualified leads and organic growth. 

And MANTL’s LOS is already helping other partners drive conversions. In a recent earning’s call, Alkami CEO Alex Shootman shared the promising results: “Our pioneer loan platform client originated over $4M in loans in their first six months of product usage.”

By combining speed with a modern, staff-led experience, MANTL equips lenders to build trust and deliver value across every interaction.

Most importantly, a unified platform creates new growth opportunities. Borrowers who previously had only a loan relationship can now be connected to deposits and additional products, transforming one-time lending transactions into lasting, holistic financial relationships. The account holder can now have all their financial needs met through a single, unified platform.

From transactional to transformational

Loan origination no longer has to be slow, opaque, or transactional. By rebuilding the process around simplicity, automation, and visibility, MANTL Loan Origination helps bankers serve customers and members more efficiently, helps borrowers engage more confidently, and helps financial institutions strengthen their long-term relationships.

Equally important, the Loan Development Partner model ensures the product will continue to evolve in step with the needs of banks and credit unions alike. Every new MANTL customer benefits from a solution tested and refined in close consultation with peers. That accelerates return on investment (ROI) and assures MANTL customers that the platform they adopt today will continue to grow with them tomorrow.

For banks and credit unions seeking to expand their lending capabilities, deepen primacy, and deliver seamless service across deposits and loans, MANTL offers a modern path forward. 

Learn how MANTL Loan Origination delivers faster decisions, deeper relationships, and real results. Contact our team to request a demo →