Credit Solutions
Company: Credit Solutions, Dallas, TX
Company Description: Credit Solutions is the industry leading debt settlement company in North America, with more than $2.5 billion of debt under management. Since 2003, our proven program has helped over 250,000 families nationwide settle more than $1.2 billion of unsecured debt.
Nomination Category: Information Technology Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Information Technology Department of the Year
Nomination Title: Credit Solutions: IT Department of the Year
1. Tell the story about what this nominated department achieved since January 1 2009 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
The success of Credit Solutions can largely be attributed to the innovative
work done by its award-winning, nationally-recognized IT department, which has
provided the rest of Credit Solutions’ employees with the tools they need to
maintain a standard of excellence in customer service.
Credit Solutions’ IT department constantly researches new ways for the company
to better deliver its services to customers. In August 2009, the team launched
an internally-built, logics-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
system. This CRM fully integrates and automates business processes using state-
of-the-art agile coding to streamline the company’s debt settlement program. It
gives Credit Solutions’ agents a one-screen view of clients’ account
information, reducing program idle time by 65% so that customers experience
faster responses during live calls. One-hundred percent customizable, the
system integrates well with ancillary software applications and messaging,
including phone, fax and email. As a result, employees spend less time tracking
down information and more time focusing on the client. This project was
recognized by the InfoWorld 100 Awards, recognizing the top 100 IT projects of
2009.
In March 2010, the IT department created process improvements for the Sales
team, creating automation of repetitive actions, allowing Account Managers to
focus more closely and efficiently on customers’ needs.
Credit Solutions’ has also invested in a VoIP phone system and comprehensive
recording software solution that substantially enhances the company’s quality
assurance processes by allowing supervisors to closely follow call center
activity. Our IT team recently integrated this VoIP technology into its Web
applications, so that agents receive color-coded, desktop pop-ups of each
client’s account status. “Smart routing” auto-directs incoming calls to the
proper department to streamline call resolution, so that calls get answered
quicker and more efficiently.
In addition, Credit Solutions has developed in-house technologies that enable
customers to sign enrollment documents electronically, saving weeks of document
processing time, and enabling employees to begin managing new customers’
accounts immediately.
Also developed by our IT team, Credit Solutions’ custom-built, online Client
Portal allows both clients and creditors to log in and view the current status
of all enrolled accounts, as well as all previous settlement offers on those
accounts. Overall, the Client Portal has resulted in less time spent on the
phone, quick responses to accepted offers and faster turnaround time from offer
to payment arrangements. Credit Solutions’ portal allows for “positive
collections” to occur between clients and creditors and encourages creditors to
build strong working relationships with Credit Solutions. These relationships,
in turn, directly benefit the clients.
Credit Solutions has been recognized by the prestigious Red Herring North
America Awards for its innovative use of technology.
The Credit Solutions IT department’s commitment to developing and implementing
state-of-the-art technology has allowed Credit Solutions to assist more than
250,000 U.S. clients in becoming debt-free over the last seven years, settling
more than $1.2 billion total of consumer debt.
2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
The Top 100 IT projects of 2009 http://www.infoworld.com/t/it-management/top-100-it-projects-2009-860?page=0,3&_kip_ipx=1899942693-1259123641&_pxn=0
Credit Solutions Ranks Among Tech’s Best In Red Herring 100 North America
Awards http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090515005996&newsLang=en
Credit Solutions Remains Ahead Of The Curve, Provides Innovative Technology For
Growing Consumer Demand http://www.fvnewswire.com/pressrelease/Credit-Solutions-Remains-Ahead-of-The-Curve-Provides-Innovative-Technology-For-Growing-Consumer-Demand.aspx
3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated organization/department:
David Janecek is Vice President of Information Technology at Credit Solutions,
the nation's debt settlement industry leader. In his tenure at Credit
Solutions, Janecek has helped develop the IT team into an award-winning,
nationally-recognized department. During his time as VP of IT, Credit Solutions
has been recognized for its innovative use of technology by the Red Herring
North America Awards and the InfoWorld 100 Awards. Janecek has been recognized
by the Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2010, honoring 100 IT
executives who effectively use information technology to improve their
organization.