With all the moving parts that go into making an online conversion successful (marketing, sales, service, technology, security, etc.), it can be easy to overlook the contact center. After all, it’s a self-running machine, right?
Don’t get caught in this trap — doing so could put your entire conversion project at risk. Just because your contact center works well now doesn’t mean it will continue to operate smoothly when there’s a new enterprise initiative launching like a conversion.
Did you know that up to 30 percent of your online banking users will call during a conversion? Or that, depending on the number of online users your financial institution has, your call volumes and handle times could double?
When planning a conversion, take the time to ensure you have the necessary resources to handle spikes in call volume and other sales and servicing deliverables. With that in mind, there are three contact center-specific functions you should focus on during an online conversion:
1. Preparing for an Increase in Contact Center Activity
Obviously, in the event of an online conversion, your account holders are going to have pressing questions that a simple form letter can’t answer. Bringing in an external supplier to augment your existing contact center resources will ensure coverage. However, many suppliers don’t have the flexibility to scale up or down in a timely fashion, matching the peaks and valleys in your call volume.
Vericast’s Contact Center solution provides exactly this flexibility. It allows you to scale up your call center resources just when you need it and then recalibrate once your call volumes are manageable.
2. Meeting Customer Service Expectations
More eyes will be on your financial institution during an online conversion. This increase in attention and awareness can be very positive, but it also brings heightened scrutiny and speculation. Account holders want to know: Can you answer my questions? Can you fix my issues? How long will it take? Am I speaking to the right person?
Assuming you’ve brought in a supplier to augment your contact center, how can you be sure they’ll be able to meet your account holders’ expectations? The answer is to hire a supplier with a proven track record of service.
Again, Vericast has existing relationships with thousands of financial institutions. Our team comes with a thorough knowledge of your branding and with the expertise to educate and empower your account holders during times of change.
3. Training and Internal Preparation
Yes, you’ve likely prepared your internal staff for the online conversion, but what if you need more capacity? Increasing personnel in an effective way is a common challenge. This is why we recommend outsourcing your contact center to a trusted and experienced supplier. By leaning on a supplier with whom you already have a good relationship, the extension of your training and internal preparation can be seamless.
Contact Center Impact on an Online Conversion
Although your contact center doesn’t directly impact what is happening during a conversion event, it can drastically affect the conversion’s success. The quality of service you provide your account holders can make or break the entire project.
Maintaining a sufficient level of customer service is crucial on a day-to-day basis, of course. During enterprise events, such as online conversions, being able to meet the needs of your account holders can lead to more loyalty, cross-sell opportunities, word-of-mouth referrals and future revenue. The flip side is also true. It can take up to 12 positive interactions to make up for a single negative experience.
Thus, it’s crucial not to overlook the contact center when planning for an online conversion or any other enhancement or adjustment to your institution. Your contact center is the frontline to keeping your account holders happy — especially during times of change.
> Download Vericast’s “Ultimate Guide for Successful Contact Center Outsourcing”.
