Case Study: Resource Bank
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Resource Bank had an aging phone system that simply couldn’t keep pace with the bank’s growth and its desire to support initiatives to improve customer service. The old system was installed in 1988, had been upgraded as far as possible, but still lacked key capabilities the bank required. Resource was looking for more than an upgrade: IT managers looked toward a communications system fueled by VoIP that would accommodate communication among multiple sites.

“We were growing and wanted all our locations to be able to dial any extensions in any branch, avoid long distance and to do all that using our current network,” said Billie Daugherty, Telecommunications Manager at Resource Bank. “We weren’t sure how things would be in several years but knew they would be different, and we wanted each branch entity to be able to have its own main number…. And a system that accounted for expansion and consolidation.”

At the same time, Resource wanted to keep an eye on the bottom line, which meant a thorough search for the most comprehensive telephone system at the best possible price. IT managers at first considered a phone system made by the same manufacturer as the bank’s network routers and switches. However, when the managers discovered the bank would need to add additionally complexity and make a significant investment in the network infrastructure before installing the phone system, they pursued other options.

Resource then considered three networking vendors, including AltiGen Communications. In the end, Resource opted for AltiGen’s AltiServ™ advanced business telephone system, which included the key features the bank required: support for VoIP, advanced call routing with seamless dial and transfer, call detail reporting and monitoring, and the ability to have caller ID information follow customers when they are transferred. AltiGen proved to be between 15 and 20 percent less expensive than the other two contenders.

With help from AltiGen partner TCI, the new communications system debuted in late 2002 at the Chesapeake branch. By early 2005, all eight locations were reaping the benefits of VoIP-powered communications.

Today, the eight locations are connected via VoIP for a common extension plan. A customer can dial any branch location and be instantly connected with the appropriate person at any other location. Customers get the help they need more quickly, and are never told to hang up and dial a different number.

Case Study: Tidewater Credit Services
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Tidewater Credit is a medium size business specializing in consumer loans. Their main clients are car dealerships and furniture retailers.  Their telecommunications needs included a system that could accommodate more than 100 extensions, 40 of which would be collectors split into 4 separate ACD groups.

With the system they were using they were losing a lot of calls, that were either never being answered or left on hold too long and then being dropped. The problem was they had no idea how bad the problem was. They had no way of tracking how many calls were received by or made by any given agent, not to mention how many calls were dropped due to long hold times or other reasons.
TCI was able to address their ACD requirements on several fronts. With NEC’s dynamic ACD package calls could be routed to the proper agent group. If that group did not answer in acceptable amount of time, the call would “overflow” to another group equipped to handle the customer.

The flexibility of the ACD package made it possible for agents to log into any group from any station, ensuring that staffing requirements were met even when unexpected absences took place.

InDepth software gave the call center managers control over the activities within each group. This unique package showed the managers in REAL TIME, who was busy on a call and for how long, as well as who was idle, and for how long. 

Through the use of wall boards everyone, including the agents could see how many total calls were made and received that day, as well as how many calls were dropped. The wallboard also alarmed them when a new call was holding for too long. These features helped with employee morale as well as customer satisfaction. From a management stand point it became very obvious who the most productive agents were as well as what the busiest times for incoming and outgoing calls were so they could adjust staffing requirements based on the time of day and day of week, month, etc. 

Since the initial install of this system, Tidewater Credit Services has doubled the number of collectors working in this call center. Because of the expandability of the i series switch, NEC and TCI have met their expansion requirements seamlessly. 

Inquisitor Investigations
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InQuisitor Investigations Beefs up Profits With A Customized Telecom Solution from Teltek Communications, Inc. and NEC

When any business needs to relocate, certain issues almost always arise.  One of the most important issues is often the ability to retain existing telephone numbers.  Because of TCI’s vast experience and relationships with competitive local exchange carriers, they were able to find a way to keep our previous numbers even though the company moved out of that particular exchange.  They also improved the efficiency of the telephone system by having a digital circuit installed which dynamically allocates calls.  The circuit they recommended also increased the efficiency of the computer network by connecting modems as additional stations.  Every company has different specialized requirements.  This company has an outbound call center that employs a good number of temps.  The call accounting software, CallWhere, helped in many ways.  It is a good system diagnostic based on the traffic reports that it compiles.  It also aids in cost allocation and billing for different departments or projects.  The Callwhere is a good source of activity verification and customer service evaluation in the call center.  It can even identify misuse and abuse by the ACD agents.  TCI custom tailored a solution to meet the specific needs of InQuisitor Investigations thereby saving them time and money which resulted in higher profits for the company.