WHAT HAVE BEEN THE RESULTS AND HOW DID THEY COMPARE WITH THE GOALS ?
A : Our strategy has resulted in a more productive service center and a culture of internal advancement and longevity . We have maintained an average of 308 service center employees over the past five years .
Over that same period , we have seen an increase in promotions within and outside the service center . There have been 206 promotions within and an additional 51 promotions to jobs outside . Several associates who started in our call center have progressed into leadership positions across the organization . Jackson has seen an increase in promotions within and outside the service center .
As a result , we have consistently maintained a lower-than-average industry turnover rate since 2019 by providing employees with opportunities for career advancement and longevity .
AT A GLANCE
Number of Agents ( estimated ): Approximately 300
Contact Volume ( last year available ): 1,264,867 calls in 2022
Inbound Channel split ( e . g ., voice , chat , email , text , video ): Currently leverages paper , fax , email , phone calls , and jackson . com self-service as methods for inbound requests . Jackson is moving to a more omnichannel environment , leveraging a new CRM system and will be expanding to additional channels such as chat and text .
On-Premise / Home Office split . Location ( s ) of on-premise contact centers :
• 33 % full-time remote
• 50 % full-time in-office ( 100 % at Lansing , Mich .)
• 17 % hybrid
Key Technologies Used : Currently leveraging Avaya , NICE , and IEX / Workforce Management for call routing , recording , monitoring , and scheduling . Jackson is in the process of transitioning to Microsoft Dynamics for telephony and as a CRM platform . It also has security controls in place to safeguard customers ’ information .
And while the Customer Interaction Modernization initiative is still underway , it has already gained the buy-in from pilot users that make up approximately 10 % of our associate population and has increased the excitement from their peers through word-of-mouth . Gaining this advocacy has been a huge win for both the project itself and associate engagement overall .
Additionally , this strategy has led to our service center being consistently recognized as a leading service center year after year . In 2022 , we received four awards from SQM for excellence in contact center service , including being recognized as a “ Call Center of the Year ” finalist for the eighth straight year .
" OUR STRATEGY HAS RESULTED IN A MORE PRODUCTIVE SERVICE CENTER AND A CULTURE OF INTERNAL ADVANCEMENT AND LONGEVITY ."
WHERE DO YOUR INNOVATIONS GO FROM HERE ? PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF STAFFING SHORTAGES / HIGHER COSTS ?
A : We want to continue to be a place where people want to work , which will assist in limiting turnover and staffing shortages . To maintain this , we have implemented a threepronged approach .
1 . Provide tools to help call center associates do their job in the most efficient manner possible . This is in progress as we work to implement a new CRM system that will enable a true omnichannel experience for our customers .
2 . Create an environment that enables our associates to enjoy the work they do . There isn ’ t one perfect solution for this , but we believe in providing opportunities for those that are looking to challenge themselves and want variety in their day .
This is why we are currently working on implementing a blended role option in our call center . This will allow individuals the opportunity to handle both processing and call work .
3 . Ensure career advancement opportunities are available for those seeking upward mobility .
While we already have a defined Career Progression Program in place , we perform ongoing reviews to determine opportunities for enhancements .
48 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE