Using Intelligent Limit System®, Riverview Bank replaced branch-by-branch overdraft decisions with a more consistent, data-backed approach aligned to account holders’ ability to repay.
Riverview Bank had managed overdraft coverage manually for years, with individual branches making their own decisions and not offering Reg E opt-in capabilities. As compliance expectations increased and account holders increasingly relied on overdraft services as a financial safety net, the bank recognized the need for a more consistent and scalable approach.
After reviewing Riverview’s overdraft strategy, Charmaine Lightheart EVP, Chief Retail and Digital Engagement Officer, recommended Intelligent Limit System® (ILS) from CSI based on her previous experience working with the platform at another institution. Jennifer Konopasek, SVP, Retail Service Manager & Security Officer, helped lead the implementation, and the bank went live with dynamic limits in December 2024.
The transition gave Riverview the ability to move away from inconsistent, branch-level overdraft decisions and toward a centralized, data-backed process designed to improve fairness, consistency, and operational oversight.
Moving Beyond Branch-by-Branch Overdraft Decisions
Before implementing ILS, Riverview Bank relied on a largely manual overdraft process in which individual branches handled decisions independently. While the approach had worked for years, it created operational inconsistency across the institution and made it more difficult to support evolving compliance expectations and account holder needs.
The bank also lacked efficient Reg E opt-in capabilities, limiting its ability to modernize the overall overdraft experience.
With Intelligent Limit System®, Riverview established a more centralized and consistent process for overdraft decisioning. Rather than relying on personal judgment or static criteria, the bank could use data-backed limits based on an account holder’s ability to repay.
The institution-wide approach also helped align the program with FDIC examiner expectations, particularly around fee reversals and operational consistency.
CSI supported the transition through implementation guidance, team member training, webinars, and operational best practices, including guidance related to Reg E opt-in procedures and stronger internal processes.
“This is an amazing company. I was so impressed working with them for 5 years at a previous institution.”
Charmaine Lightheart
EVP, Chief Retail and Digital Engagement Officer
Building a More Consistent Overdraft Strategy
Moving to a centralized, data-backed program required a significant mindset shift internally.
Some long-time employees initially felt uneasy about account holders receiving higher overdraft limits than they would have previously approved through manual review. Teams also had to adjust to the idea that the program was not a traditional loan or credit product, but rather a more responsive approach to managing overdraft coverage.
Over time, teams became more comfortable as they saw the program working as intended: account holders intentionally using the service and successfully repaying what they owed.
For Riverview, the transition was about more than operational efficiency. The bank wanted to create a more transparent and consistent approach that removed unnecessary variability from overdraft decision-making across branches.
Using data-backed limits helped Riverview standardize decisions institution-wide while improving fairness and reducing reliance on personal judgment.
“Decisions are not arbitrary anymore. They’re not being made on a personal level.”
Jennifer Konopasek
SVP, Retail Service Manager & Security Officer
Results at a Glance
With Intelligent Limit System®, Riverview Bank was able to:
- Replace branch-by-branch overdraft decisions with a centralized, data-backed process
- Nearly double fee income year over year
- Add more than $30M in purchasing power during the first 14 months
- Recover 99.3% of negative balances
- Improve alignment with FDIC examiner expectations
- Support Reg E opt-in availability
- Reduce operational inconsistency across branches
- Remove personal bias from overdraft decisioning
- Maintain strong account holder acceptance with little to no pushback
- Reinvest program revenue into digital banking improvements
Reinvesting in Digital Banking Improvements
The new approach to overdraft protection was well received by account holders, with little to no pushback reported following implementation.
The financial impact was equally significant. In the first 14 months of using ILS, Riverview Bank added more than $30M in purchasing power while recovering 99.3% of negative balances. Fee income also nearly doubled year over year, while charge-offs remained low.
With the additional funds generated through the program, the bank has invested in improvements to digital account opening, online banking, and other digital services.
ILS also helped Riverview establish stronger operational consistency across branches while giving staff greater confidence in how overdraft decisions were being made and managed institution-wide.
Continuing to Modernize Overdraft Decisioning
With the Intelligent Limit System, Riverview Bank replaced its long-standing manual process with a more efficient, compliant, and transparent overdraft strategy.
The transition helped standardize overdraft decisioning across branches, reduce operational inconsistency, improve compliance alignment, and create a clearer, fairer approach to managing coverage for account holders.
Just as importantly, Riverview gained an ongoing partner in CSI for implementation support, operational guidance, program optimization, and future modernization initiatives.
“I was so impressed working with [CSI’s team]. We’re looking at their other products because of the trust and partnership.”
Charmaine Lightheart
EVP, Chief Retail and Digital Engagement Officer