In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations grappled with issues that extended beyond the usual adjustments to remote work. For one prominent life insurance provider, navigating the complexities of a new cultural normal alongside payment card industry (PCI) compliance loomed large. Overseeing 16 million policyholders and handling a staggering 5.2 million customer service calls annually, the organization needed strategic counsel on how to streamline its CX operations to better serve customers.

As executives delved into the intricacies of their business operations, they uncovered inefficiencies that were exacerbated by a history of acquisitions. These challenges included the absence of a centralized and automated knowledge management system, with agents relying on a patchwork of disparate tools ranging from paper binders to web-based platforms. Outdated knowledge articles, systems nearing end-of-life, and antiquated infrastructure were overwhelming for employees and prompted the organization to identify a partner that could execute a much-needed transformation. They turned to Waterfield Tech to help them navigate these complexities, enhance productivity, elevate the customer experience, and unlock substantial financial returns.

Aligning with the organization’s foundational values, Waterfield Tech immediately focused efforts on addressing PCI compliance concerns. The client integrated Waterfield Tech’s Blueworx Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Payment Processing System with Genesys Engage IVR. This setup streamlined payments through the IVR while negating any PCI issues or regulations, resulting in a fully compliant IVR that could continue to deliver a seamless customer experience.

Next, Waterfield Tech was asked to take a holistic look at the organization’s operations and conduct a CX assessment across 26 areas covering the Contact Center and Workforce Engagement. This assessment delivered significant insights and enabled a better prioritization of their technology transformation.

Waterfield Tech’s assessment identified 11 key areas for improvement in both the customer’s Contact Center and Workforce Engagement areas. Some highlights of this evaluation revealed:

• An aging infrastructure needing immediate attention.
• Disparate systems were driving up contractual costs and creating issues with inconsistent reporting.
• An opportunity to implement voice biometrics to reduce average handle time for agents.
• Potential to integrate automation of IVR with conversational AI technology, and platform and software consolidation could drive additional cost savings.
• Omni-channel solutions not yet deployed could increase agent throughput and deliver a better customer and employee experience.
• Establishment of a knowledge management system could deliver 158% ROI.
• Integration of better computer telephony with the automation of tasks could offer:
  • More than $2M in annual savings.
  • 10% increase in productivity and the capacity to handle another 520,000 calls annually.
  • 5% increase in customer satisfaction scores with an increase of $260,000 per revenue.

The assessment empowered the organization to better prioritize their initiatives. One of the first projects they tackled was an upgrade of their existing Cisco UC/CC platforms that were approaching the end of life to the latest release. Next, the workforce engagement management team was brought in to quickly address a PCI breach uncovered in the client’s system. This process included an evaluation, proving a breach occurred, implementing a fix, and then reproving the fix — all accomplished within an extremely tight period.

By prioritizing the foundational technology issues uncovered by our assessment, the client better managed immediate risk, ensured platform supportability, and could plan for areas needing future overhaul. Waterfield Tech is continuing discussions regarding subsequent phases of work, including the creation of a technology roadmap. Our ongoing goal is to set our client on a path to modernization while helping them fulfill their mission of helping families protect their financial futures.

Looking to improve PCI compliance and improve productivity in your contact center? Let us know.