Debt Collections
Albemarle & Bond
Albemarle & Bond - the UK’s leading pawnbroker service - was established in 1986 and in 2001 Chantry Collections was created as the debt collection service within the group.
Past
For the first few years of operating, Chantry Collections contacted debtors by phone using a manual dialling system.
David Summerscales, Collections Manager at Chantry added: “Calling people manually had its results but we felt we were not geting through nearly as much out of our data as we could and as a result, staff overheads were high.”
Why did Albemarle & Bond choose TouchStar?
- Increase in productivity and collections.
- Easy integration with clients’ CRM.
- 24/7 technical support.
- Free of charge monthly training.
Initial Dialler Investment Had Severe Limitations
Chantry subsequently invested in a hosted dialling system. David was initially pleased with the increase in productivity this produced but over time became frustrated with the limitations of the system: “It simply wasn’t reliable, that was the main problem. We were having a lot of down time which negated the advantage of having a dialling system in the fi rst place! Often we would have to revert back to dialling manually. In terms of reporting, there was very little to get excited about and it did not allow us to blend inbound calls.”
TouchStar Designed for Collections Industry
The business needed to become more effi cient to retain its value to the overall group. Chantry spoke to a number of suppliers of dialling solutions, and were impressed with the TouchStar system’s dialling capability, reliability and regulatory compliance.
Soon it became apparent that the TouchStar option would be the most benefi cial. David commented: “The more we looked at the different systems on the market, the more it seemed that the TouchStar system was designed with the needs of the Collections industry in mind.”
24/7 Support, Expert Account Management and Free of Charge Monthly Training
A major reason Chantry chose the TouchStar System was the after-sales service that Daviker provide. David added: “We knew that they wouldn’t just install the system and that’s the last we’d hear from them! The fact they provide 24/7 support put us at ease and we have an appointed account manager who would help us get the most out the system and provide us with advice on how to run the call centre efficiently. They provide free of charge monthly training courses and can attend as many as we want. We just felt they were an altogether more people focused company who would listen to what we require and they plan what we need from that.”
David continued: “They also delivered training to our supervisors and agents to show them the basics of how their part of the system operates. Naturally the 24/7 support was essential at first but over
time we have become more self sufficient.”
Cheaper Price than Competitor
As the TouchStar system was priced cheaper than their competitor, the final decision was an easy one to make.
Present
Daviker implemented the fully compliant TouchStar blended call centre system complete with ACD & IVR, intelligent scripting, call recording and reporting at Chantry Collections in a matter of days. Operations Director Bob Cooke was impressed with the professionalism: “The guys installed the system with a minimum amount of fuss. Since installation, Chantry have experienced the following:
- Agents talk time has increased considerably.
- A huge increase in debtor contact meant increased collections.
- Improved real-time and historic reporting.
- An expert business development manager to optimise use of the technology and their call centre processes.
- A system that fully complies with and exceeds all Ofcom and FSA regulations.
“The TouchStar system was designed with the needs of the Collections industry in mind.”
David Summerscales, Collections Manager, Chantry Collections
Integration with CRM Systems
TouchStar has been fully integrated into both their CRM’s. This has proved essential in providing a seamless operation within the business.
Increase in Productivity and Collections
Since implementation, David has been very pleased with the increase in productivity: “Collections have increased because we can operate in ‘predictive’ mode without the downtime we regularly experienced with our hosted solution. It allows us to use our data more eff ectively and pinpoint the likely time we will be able to contact our debtors. In addition, the system allows us to route inbound calls to an appropriate agent.”
Future
Daviker do not merely view their clients as ‘customers’, we see them as long-term business partners as when they grow, we grow. Chantry Collections continue to go from strength to strength and Daviker will continue to provide consultation and support every step of the way
David Summerscales concluded:
“I would certainly recommend both Daviker as a company and the TouchStar system to anyone considering purchasing a call centre solution - for the system itself and the service you get. The system is ideal for any debt collection company and I can see why it’s market leader in the States. Also, they are a friendly company to deal with and you are treated as you like to be treated.”