26 February 2021
In January we launched the ability to complete ID&V with callers before they connect to one of our team of CEC representatives. Having worked with our telephony provider BT, the service now allows callers to submit their details (the details that we would normally have asked for over the telephone) by entering a member number and saying their date of birth and surname. The system checks and verifies this against our database and, if there is a match, presents the account details to our representative at the point that the call connects.
This enables the representative to know who they are speaking to straight away and so improves the experience for the caller. It is anticipated that this service also provides the foundation for further improvements as we look to grow the options available to the members.
Our next planned development is Q4me. Q4me is a service that we are looking to introduce later this year (probably late summer). It will give callers the option of waiting for their call to connect to a representative or to disconnect whilst retaining their place in the queue. If the disconnect option is taken, the system informs the caller of the expected wait time, and then makes an outbound call back at the relevant time. The call is then serviced by our representative as normal. The benefit for callers is that they can end the call and not have to physically wait for the call to connect, the system manages the waiting for them. We will provide further updates on the roll-out of Q4me later this year.
From the Team at Equiniti