Staffing challenges aren’t new for financial institutions. According to The Financial Brand, 4 out of 5 financial institutions have expressed concerns regarding labor shortages. Finding and onboarding new talent is a challenge that our industry is facing right now, so the question becomes how to deliver great customer experiences without burning out your call center or staff?
This challenge is only exemplified by the need to continue to improve member service. Improving member service has only gotten more challenging with the pandemic. In a report by Rivel Banking Research, the percentage of households who say their primary banking institution is not responsive has increased by 212% during the pandemic.
So, how can financial institutions bolster their current staff amid a labor shortage, while simultaneously improving their member service, an area that has taken a large hit in recent years?
A smarter, better, and more efficient appointment management system—one that is self-service enabled—is the solution that delivers the service your customers demand and the support your staff needs.
A self-service appointment management system allows members to view openings on a calendar and choose an appointment time that works for them. Instead of calling in and waiting on hold, or driving to a branch on a day an agent may not be available, these self-service appointments give members a more direct option by booking specific appointments at your member’s convenience.
Enabling a self-service appointment management system also means your agents are able to work more centrally and give your teams clarity into what the upcoming day brings. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with servicing members, your team can see a calendar view of what’s on the horizon, and integrate those appointments directly into their work calendar.
The best appointment management solution is one that can integrate seamlessly into your communications channels. Imagine if someone was to call your contact center to learn more about an auto loan. Waiting on hold to confirm your agent’s calendar, or even worse, having to get a call back number for your agent to follow up for an appointment is an outdated way to manage appointments. It also represents a lack of customer service capabilities, where your members are able to book appointments easily and online with almost every other business they interact with.
But when an appointment management system is seamlessly integrated, it comes together to create the ultimate combination of strengthening your current workforce amid uncertain labor markets, all while drastically improving your member service. When that same member calls in with the same request to a financial institution with an integrated appointment manager, within minutes, the call gets completed with an agent sending them a Text message to book an appointment with a loan officer. The member is served quickly and is now able to make that appointment easily. Your call center is able to complete inquiries quicker and free up agents to help more members: a true win-win!
Eltropy’s appointment management solution works in harmony with our industry-leading digital communications platform. To learn more about how we’re helping financial institutions like yours, book a demo today.
