The Challenge: A limited system made call management inefficient
Member support is a cornerstone of TPT’s services, and the company is dedicated to providing top quality customer service to all its members. Previously, TPT’s operational model used a simple call queue system that dispersed incoming calls to any available plan administrator. With no complexity filtering or similar efficiency tools, the company had no control over who was handling which call.
“We were finding that some of our more experienced administrators could get distracted by relatively simple calls,” says Richard Wilson, Implementation Manager at TPT. “For example, they would be working on a complex pension case when a simple call would come in for something like a password reset or change of address.”
TPT began looking for a modern business communications solution that could help them to streamline call management and optimize member service operations. They wanted to establish a dedicated contact centre to receive incoming calls, triage inquiries, and filter out routine questions at this first point of contact. This way, they can control the distribution of calls to the plan administrators, allowing them to focus on those that require their expertise.
8x8’s robust cloud-based platform provided the flexibility and features to enable TPT to set up the new operational model that works best for the business.
The Solution: A flexible solution supports optimisation
TPT implemented 8x8 Work and 8x8 Contact Centre just before the pandemic hit. “It was a bumpy time for us,” says Wilson, “as we had never worked remotely. We had to quickly provision everything, including laptops. Having 8x8 in place helped us navigate that transition, enabling our teams to communicate with members and each other seamlessly from home.”
8x8’s support team was key during TPT’s migration to 8x8. “It was a big step for us to establish a formal contact centre after 75 years in business. Our 8x8 representative was a great help. He really understood our goals and made sure that we considered the right options, as well as offered suggestions and information.”
Today, TPT’s contact centre is running smoothly and ready to expand in size whenever the business needs more. The team of 40 administrators also use 8x8 Business Phone capabilities to handle any calls that get transferred to them. The remaining 100+ employees also use 8x8 Work on desktop and mobile, working from home or in the office. “I joined the company during lockdown,” recalls Wilson, “and chatting with colleagues on 8x8 was a useful way to get to know them before I’d ever met them.”
Once TPT had been using 8x8 for a while, Wilson and team stepped back to look for ways to optimize. They implemented a multi-level auto attendant, which allowed members to better specify their area of inquiry, filter and route calls, and get members the help they need faster. They also implemented 8x8’s sophisticated call queue system, which provides callers on hold with their position in the queue or opt for a callback instead of waiting. Says Wilson, “We’d never thought about those features before, but they provide a much better experience for our members.”
The Benefits: Faster call resolution, greater efficiency, happier members
During the pandemic and beyond, TPT has been able to maintain smooth business operations with 8x8. “From the members perspective, I don’t think our transition to remote work was noticeable. We could carry on managing the volume of calls.” Members also enjoy a greatly improved call handling experience as agents are able to resolve inquiries faster. Few members need to wait on hold or request a callback, and TPT has seen its call abandonment rate drop to less than 1%.
TPT’s contact centre has even changed the way the company thinks about recruiting administrators, which is typically a difficult role to fill. “Instead of just hiring people with pension experience,” says Wilson, “we hire people with call centre experience and teach them about pensions, so they can move into other roles in the company. Our call centre opens up a new career path for our agents.”
Going forward, TPT will continue to fine tune its system, such as adding post-call customer feedback. Wilson sums it up: “8x8 has moved us forward as an organisation. Previously, we never really looked at telephony in terms of our operations. Now, we can use 8x8 to build efficiencies that make our teams even more effective.”
