Auto Attendant Featured Article

Managed Service nameConnector Provides Optimal Auto Attendant Solution

The implementation of an auto attendant into any large corporation can significantly reduce the hassle experienced by customers who have to navigate through different communication trees to get to the right person. The auto attendant can ensure the caller reaches the right destination the first time, improving the overall experience and customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction was at risk of diminishing in 1998 when Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts was in the process of migrating from a PBX (News - Alert)-based telecom solution to a Centrex solution. This move required all of the facility’s employee phones change extension numbers, which negated the benefit and use of the existing company directory.
To ease this transition, the insurance carrier selected Parlance Corp.’s nameConnector managed auto attendant service. This service is designed to provide a temporary “extension agnostic” method for allowing employees to reach their desired destination by simply speaking the name of the intended recipient of the call. As a managed service, the solution delivered significant value in this situation. Within just a few days of the nameConnector implementation, it was apparent to Blue Cross that broad and immediate acceptance of the new phone system was occurring. And, within the first few weeks of implementation, the system was successfully connecting thousands of employee calls, thereby significant reducing the amount requiring operator assistance.
The company then decided to use nameConnector as its own auto attendant on the customer-facing main phone line IVR to alleviate those calls needing operator assistance. To date, this managed service has connected nearly 5 million employees and customers to their destinations, enabling the telephony infrastructure within Blue Cross to keep pace with increasing customer calls and demands on operators.
"Employees love nameConnector service because it is faster, more accessible, and more convenient than traditional directories." says Linda Copeland, IS Manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts. "And providing public Callers access to nameConnector has greatly reduced traffic to the operators, allowing them to focus on customers who need specialized assistance."
In reality, the auto attendant has become a crucial tool for medium- to large-sized businesses seeking to provide prompt and reliable customer support, speed internal communications, and reduce the cost of telephony operations. As a managed service, Parlance assumes total responsibility for the performance of the nameConnector system and actively works with the client to optimize usage on a daily basis. Parlance handles the tasks typically assigned to in-house resources, allowing the company to focus on business initiatives that drive revenue and profitability.

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Patrick Barnard