ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Aimbridge Lending Solutions is now offeringcredit unions what it calls its Loan Generation Services, a processfor capturing pre-approvals at the branch, over the phone or on theWeb and making them accessible to members and dealers over theInternet.

The system aggregates pre-approvals and member information inone central location, also helping to set the stage for a fullsuite of products that will facilitate "a totally Web-based lendingprocess," the company says.

"The automotive lending market may look dismal with franchiseand dealer sales decreasing and only 17% member penetration, butthere is a lot of opportunity for success if credit unions leveragethe Web," says Stephen Bentley, chief executive officer ofAimbridge, an integrated provider of multi-channel, multi-lenderauto buying and lending services.

First Community Credit Union in St. Louis has been using thesystem for a year and says it has seen its monthly indirect lendingvolume grow an average 15%.

"Our members take their automotive dealer experiences personallyand Loan Generation Services makes that process smoother and helpsto ensure that we keep our members' loans. This is a crucial steptowards leveraging the Web as a sales channel and providing theentire auto buying experience from our credit union's Web site,"says Joe Radeke, indirect lending manager at $1.2 billion FirstCommunity.

The Loan Generation Services solution is scalable and allowscredit unions to upload pre-approvals through a browser interface,batch files or in real time through a direct interface withColorado-based Aimbridge.