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Company: Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Company Description: Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA, designs, markets, and underwrites commercial property/casualty and professional liability insurance products, incorporating value-added coverages and services for select industries. By maintaining a disciplined approach to business, we provide greater security for our policyholders and superior value for our shareholder.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Contact Center of the Year (Up to 100 Seats)

Nomination Title:  PHLY's Contact Center

Tell the story about what this nominated contact center achieved since the beginning of July 2011 (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:

Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) Contact Center is dedicated to achieving customer satisfaction and exceeding departmental goals. In the insurance industry, the products offered are similar within each company. To set ourselves apart, we have a concentrated focus addressing the customer’s concern at the first point of contact.

Here are some of the PHLY Contact Center achievements to date:

•98.14% departmental quality rating since July 2011

•Voice of the Customer (VOC) NPS rating of 56.3, up from 51.7 in 2011

•Customer Service Satisfaction level (VOC) of 87.41%

•Representative Satisfaction rate (VOC) of 91.39%

•Average Speed of Answer of :29 seconds, cutting our 2011 A.S.A. figure (:58) in half

•Average Abandoned/Lost Call rate of 2.37%, improved over 54% from 2011 (5.23%)

It is crucial to provide customers with exceptional care and service. Within our Contact Center, “Above and Beyond” has become our new routine. By instituting rigorous training, metrics, an extreme focus on quality and listening directly to the customer, our satisfaction rate is now one of the highest in the industry.

PHLY Contact Center initiatives to enhance the customer’s experience:

Customer Feedback – Recently we began a formal Voice of the Customer program. Every satisfaction survey received is addressed directly to determine the root of the problem. PHLY’s Contact Center can now listen, assess and act on the customer’s needs. This program also lets us clarify our communication, improve product delivery, and understand customer needs. Our representatives are ecstatic when a customer responds positively to a survey for one of their calls. As one CSR recently stated “It takes just one great survey for something I did to wipe out any frustrations I may have had!”

Quality – PHLY’s quality department has a comprehensive plan outlining the expectations we place upon our CSRs when corresponding with customers. Calibration sessions are held to monitor the information provided, professionalism, and to understand call drivers. We developed a library of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide CSRs through each contact for consistency. The quality plans and SOPs are regularly audited by the quality department for accuracy.

Metrics – We measure CSR productivity, quality, and time utilization. We sit down with team members weekly to review metrics, celebrate successes, and review opportunities for improvement. Weekly prizes are awarded for the best metrics.

Training – PHLY takes a strong approach to continued education for the support staff. Each team member is required to attend yearly insurance classes and maintain a service-driven curriculum; ensuring the highest level of knowledge is provided in a professional manner. The better rounded the representative, the better their ability to see a customer’s concern through to the end.

Exceptional customer service is the goal of the PHLY Contact Center. It is not good enough to demonstrate satisfactory performance…we embody exemplary performance. It is with that approach that we have been able to develop a team of top notch professionals, as evidenced by less than a 1.7% voluntary attrition rate year to date, who take pride in a job well done and doing things right the first time. Through our initiatives, we are not only able to reach our goals but position ourselves to surpass them every time.

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated contact center:

Seth Hall is currently the Vice President of Customer Service for Philadelphia Insurance Companies. He has over 15 years of service operations experience primarily focused in the healthcare and property and casualty industries.

Seth’s specific areas of expertise focus on process re-engineering, developing service-focused cultures, and continuous improvement type activities – utilizing methodologies such as Six Sigma and Kaizen.

Seth received his MBA through University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. In addition, he has completed four Ironman Events, and is a founding member of the March of Dimes “Run for Babies” Campaign.