Apropos Technology Transforms Customer Experience At Honeywell Access Systems
To increase both service levels and satisfaction provided by its customer support function, Honeywell Access Systems has selected contact center communications management software from Apropos™ Technology (NASDAQ:APRS).
Apropos has helped the Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) subsidiary realize more than $3 million in cost savings, in addition to enhancing the organization's ability to identify high-value customers.
Honeywell Access Systems (AS) provides access control products for applications ranging from small multi-door systems to enterprise-wide, networked systems containing thousands of entry points. When customers contact Honeywell AS' support team, Apropos' skills-based routing prioritizes each inquiry based on the caller's volume of business, with high-value customers receiving priority access to senior agents.
Apropos also delivers vital customer information, such as service-level, products used and geographic location, to the corresponding agent.
Armed with this insight prior to the start of an interaction, Honeywell AS agents are better prepared to address customer questions and troubleshoot in real time, boosting productivity while minimizing hold times.
As a result of these efficiencies, Apropos has helped Honeywell AS reduce hold times from 25 minutes to an average of five minutes, a reduction in "wait/hold" times of 75 percent. For the highest priority callers, wait times are approximately one minute.
"The ultimate goal of the Apropos deployment was to reward our customers for conducting business with us," said Bill Vowler, vice president of customer service & support at Honeywell AS.
"In addition to significantly enhancing our customer support function, the depth and flexibility of the Apropos system has also helped us streamline our staffing requirements."
The effectiveness of the Apropos system enabled Vowler to reduce his call center staff by 44 percent, to 18 members from 32. Overall, the organization has realized $3 million in total cost savings, including more than $500,000 annually in labor savings. Honeywell AS has also achieved a 67 percent reduction in call/incident logging time, with agents spending less time entering standard customer information, as it's already provided via the Apropos "screen pop."
Honeywell AS has also implemented new procedures to further minimize hold times. For example, if the Apropos-based system detects elevated call volume, it may suggest to customers that they hang up. However, these customers maintain their place in the phone queue, as Apropos' automatic callback feature directs the agent to contact them when it is their turn. Not only has this improved customer satisfaction, but it has also lowered the costs Honeywell AS incurs on its toll-free phone lines.
"We are seeing more organizations recognize the value of integrating all inbound and outbound communications within their contact centers, with the goal of increasing agent productivity and enhancing the overall customer experience," said John Cray, vice president of products at Apropos Technology. "By choosing Apropos, Honeywell AS has adopted a high-performance, multi-channel solution that delivers significant cost savings and consistently provides high levels of customer service."
About Apropos Technology
Apropos Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:APRS) develops communications management solutions for contact center operations. Apropos solutions are largely used when differentiated levels of service and support are required to effectively service the customer base. Organizations rely on Apropos' solutions to prioritize and intelligently route customers to the right service agent and measure contact center performance as well as enhance business continuity across the enterprise. Apropos solutions integrate with existing CRM systems to manage and archive voice, e-mail, Web chat, VoIP or fax interactions. Founded in 1989, the company serves over 300 clients worldwide from its corporate headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, and from its European headquarters in the United Kingdom. Additional information about Apropos and its solutions can be found at www.apropos.com.
About Honeywell Access Systems
Honeywell Access Systems is a strategic business group applying sensing and control expertise that helps create safer, more comfortable, secure and productive environments. A subsidiary of Honeywell (NYSE:HON), Honeywell AS makes products, services and technologies at work in 100 million homes and five million buildings worldwide, as well as aboard planes, trains and automobiles.