Communication Solutions for Credit Unions

CRM PACKAGE Integration

Screen pop of account information as a member call is delivered to an agent.

By capturing a customer's account number as (s)he enters the system (account number is captured through touch tone or speech recognition), CIC is able to make the customer information available to the agent simultaneous to receiving the call. This function will eliminate 15 to 30 seconds of talk time from each call, which will enable calls to be processed faster, and thereby minimize the total time in queue. This function also allows your existing agent pool to handle more members as your member base grows. There is also additional perceived value to your members, who are receiving a higher level of service in that your system has identified them to your agents and will not require them to tell their account code more than once.

Screen pop to appropriate screen in your CRM PACKAGE or customer database.

Depending upon the exit point in the IVR menuing (e.g., a loan application screen or account information screen) an agent may answer the call with the introduction "Mr. Jones, thank you for calling us with regards to refinancing, how may I help you today?" This function will reduce total talk time and heighten the member experience.

Accounts in collections.

CIC can check to see if a member is delinquent on any of its payments to the credit union and route the call to the appropriate collections work group as opposed to customer service, when delinquency has reached a defined threshold.

Zip tone message.

Verbally announces the call to the agent prior to connection.

Agent "smile" greeting.

Plays recording to callers when an agent answers a workgroup call. For example " Hi this is Brian with ABC Federal Credit Union, how may I help you?"

"In queue" announcements based on "Next product" field or other information / matrix.

When CIC has captured the account information it is capable of playing any "in queue" announcement to each caller separately. This function allows the system to assist in up selling of your member base while they are waiting in queue, in such a way that they are hearing announcements that are pertinent specifically to their customer profile.

Prioritize routing of most profitable members through the queue.

By capturing the account number of the caller and searching your customer database to identify the type of customer, CIC can put callers in an order to be answered based on type of customer in addition to time in queue. This function will allow you to give priority routing to your most profitable customers in as short a time frame as possible, affording them enhanced customer service. By giving enhanced services to your best customers, you will protect this member base from your competition and increase retention.

Skills-based routing of customer calls to appropriate agents.

Through skills-based routing, you can maximize the return of your best agents.
Routing your best customers to your best agents.
Routing certain types of calls to the best agent available for that call (e.g., loan processing).
Send less profitable calls to agents in training.

Call control placed on the CRM PACKAGE screen.

CIC allows for GUI interface for call control (i.e., hold, pick up, transfer, record, conference, etc.), and can be placed on the screen of your CRM PACKAGE software, so that agents may remain in one application while communicating with members.

Mixed reporting with CRM PACKAGE reports.

CIC is capable of entering items into your customer database that can be reported on by many CRM PACKAGE applications (e.g., call time, customer checked balance at such in such time, etc.). Will be available as a custom application or with an integration package at a later date.

Multi-media queuing.

Using your call center ACD to distribute inbound communication objects, Email, fax, voicemail, Web chat, and generic workflow objects.
CRM PACKAGE Integration is available for all communication objects as it is with voice allowing the Credit Union to take advantage of priority and skills-based routing as well as screen pop for emails, web chats, faxes, and other work flow objects.
Communication objects can be given different weights for delivery, which will allow emails and faxes to be queued to agents as call volume drops, or be given priority as they age past defined thresholds.
Service level commitments for response to emails can be made and kept. If a Credit Union were to commit to a 4-hour response time during business hours for replying to email questions, for example, CIC would escalate the priority of an email after it has aged 3 hours in order to fulfill that commitment. Note: email queuing and prioritization requires a high level of understanding of your total communications traffic. It is often beneficial to have emails not take priority over voice calls at any time until after the system is in place long enough to generate management reports that will allow for correct queue design to take place, and allow for realistic service level commitments to be made to the members. The credit union may have collected this type of information from its previous applications of this technology with other equipment; such information will help us to design the queue efficiently and effectively.
Email queuing can also be integrated to CIC's automated email response tool e-FAQ. e-FAQ allows for answers to defined questions to be automatically responded to the member if there is a 100% match.
Emails not receiving 100% match can be queued to the call center. If there are 5 possible answers to the question, the possible answers will be provided to the agent along with an email question and response form so the agent may pull an appropriate answer into the reply to the email.
Replies to automated email responses can be sent to the queue with priority, with the assumption that the system answered the question incorrectly, which will allow the Credit Union to correct the answer swiftly, which will keep user frustration to a minimum.
Voicemails can be queued and delivered to agents. This, too, is a balancing game. We recommend offering voicemail for a return call only after extreme queue thresholds have been met. Voicemail queuing will in effect decrease the call center's efficiency, although it may proved a heightened customer experience. Voicemails could keep the same place in line for the caller as if they stayed in queue if the Credit Union so desires. The danger of voicemail queuing is that the agent must listen to the voicemail and call the member back with the likelihood that the member is no longer available.
Faxes can be queued for work distribution of incoming applications or general fax correspondence.
Web chats can be queued with CRM PACKAGE integration to agents.
e-FAQ integration is also available for Web chat questions by members, assisting the agent in quickly responding to Web chat questions.
URL page and file push from agent to member (e.g., pushing a loan application to a user lost on your web site).
Web chats can be transferred, monitored, recorded, and/or conferenced.
Generic workflow objects can be queued for completion. Integration to any number of systems/software applications that have work that can be accomplished by multiple persons can be set to integrate to CIC and use CIC rules routing to distribute work within these applications as desired when incoming call traffic is idle or slow.

Self service via voice or web

Enhance or replace existing IVR system.
Offer additional information to users via an IVR interface (e.g., loan status).
Replace existing IVR to enhance customer experience and increase the Credit Union's understanding of customer use of the IVR.
Use IVR reports to understand customer behavior in the IVR in order to modify and improve IVR to get members the most popular desired information more quickly.
When a customer routes to call center from the IVR, use total time in system as the queue time as opposed to only time in queue. Meaning, add the time the person has been in the IVR to his/her "in queue" time for routing purposes, which rewards members for using the IVR, and gets members who may have become frustrated in the IVR to an agent as quickly as possible.
Add speech recognition as well as touch tone interface for IVR purposes.
Note: many times it does not make total economic sense to replace an existing IVR system that accomplishes the tasks it is asked to do to the Credit Union's satisfaction. These systems can be integrated to CIC to provide many of the functions to the members that using CIC as the IVR would. Customization must be done on the existing IVR to provide this functionality.
e-FAQ can be integrated into a frame on your web site to provide automated response to questions dynamically as the customer submits the question. The answer and the question being displayed in the web site's frame.

Collections, using predictive/power dialing in a blended call environment.

The system will place calls based on a call list populated in its SQL table. The system can be set up to do predictive dialing and power dialing based on needs, as well as managing return and/or inbound calls to this group of agents.
Predictive dialing is typically used when calling members' homes to detect answering machines or "ring no answer" states. This function allows for a large list of numbers to be called, while the agents are only connected to live members.
Power dialing, typically used when calling a person's work number, allows for the system to determine for the agent what number is to be called next and at what time. By being configured as power dialer, the agent will navigate auto-attendants or speak to receptionist.
Blended with inbound traffic, inbound calls will be accepted into this group and the pace of the outbound campaign will be affected by the volume of calls being received inbound. The system will automatically decide when outbound calls should be made, based on the volume of inbound traffic and the number of agents logged into the queue.
Scripting software provided to coach agents for the questions to be asked and enter responses for reporting purposes, typically used for customer surveys as well.

Automated marketing campaigns.

An example of the power of CIC to be used as an automated outbound marketing tool is how Credit Unions can use the system. Credit Unions can have the system dial all the telephone numbers for residents within a 15-mile radius of a new branch opening. If the system is connected to a live person, it disconnects. If it is connected to an answering machine/voicemail, it leaves a marketing message announcing the arrival of a branch, and special promotions can be mentioned for new members.

Real Time Monitoring and statistics.

CIC has a GUI interface for supervisory monitoring of agents and queues. Supervisors can point and click to listen to or record agents (calls, emails, and web chats), move calls from one queue to another, pull calls away from agents, log agents into and out of the queue, conference agents and members, and/or chat with agents in conference windows. Real time queue statistics displayed by queue are: objects waiting, objects answered, longest object waiting, longest talk time with object, agents logged in, and/or agents available. Historical details for queues during current period, previous period, current sift, and previous shift (period typically 30 to 60 minutes configurable, shift typically 9 hour shift) for the following statistics: object received, objects answered, objects completed, objects abandoned, average wait time for objects, average work time for objects, abandon rates, and service levels. CIC also depicts all objects in queue via a graphical detail interface.
Real time workgroup statistics displayed for total agents, total agents logged in, total available to take ACD calls, % available, longest available, on inbound ACD objects, in after call work mode, longest inbound ACD object, on out bound ACD calls, one outbound after call work mode, longest outbound ACD call, on non-ACD calls, and/or longest non-ACD call. CIC also lists all members of the workgroup and their statuses in a graphical list.

Performance Reporting for call center agents and enterprise users.

CIC provides a full suite of management reports for supervisors to track queue and agent performance data, as well as tracking work modes during the day. The system can archive and retrieve reports indefinitely. Statistics are captured in MS SQL server, and can be archived as any information in SQL can.

Customer Reporting.

CIC provides a suited of reports used to track account/customers in the system. Reports can be ran on each account number that can identified when, where, why, and for how long a member has communicated with you in the past week, month, or year(s).

Call Recording for compliance and quality assurance.

This feature includes a search engine that will allow you to retrieve call recordings based on date, time of day, agent, queue, call type, account number, or any other known/tracked variable in the system.

Teleworkers or integration of branch employees into the call center.

CIC allows for call center agent participants to be located anywhere, as long as they have data connectivity and a voice path. This function will allow Credit Unions to have branch employees participate in call center traffic as needed, or part-time workers to work from home. The agent and the supervisors of the agents have identical functionality, whether located in the main call center, at a branch, or at home.

Unified Messaging for the entire credit union.

This function delivers an employee's voicemails, and faxes (as attachments to email messages) to his/her "Inbox", allowing for one location for all communications. Employees can therefore access voicemail, faxes, and emails through the GUI screen of their "Inbox", or a telephone user interface that will not only allow for the retrieval of voicemails, it will read emails (allowing for a WAV file reply to anyone), and redirect faxes to a remote fax number.