BOK Financial’s Holt on call center upgrades that benefit the whole bank

This interview first appeared as part of the BAI Special Report: The strategic contact center of today and tomorrow. Find more perspectives in the report on optimizing technology and creating enterprise-wide strategies in this crucial banking hub.

John Holt is the director of care centers for BOK Financial, headquartered in Tulsa, Okla. In his current role, he oversees a multi-site contact center that provides client support in both a sales and service capacity. John has over 20 years of contact center leadership, including over 10 years in a director role. He has been part of numerous successful technology advancement and improvement projects throughout his career.

What improvements are banks making to their contact center infrastructure?

The most significant change currently happening is the shift from premise-based telephony and contact solutions to cloud-based solutions. This transition is crucial for contact centers to keep up with rapidly evolving technologies and offers enhanced disaster recovery protection. Additionally, banks are heavily investing in self-service options, such as chatbots, to provide clients with quick answers without needing to engage a live representative. Banks also possess vast amounts of client data and are investing in infrastructure to consolidate and utilize this data effectively, aiming to enhance the client experience and improve the operational efficiency of their centers. Lastly, banks are striving to meet clients on their preferred channels, whether it’s via phone, mobile app, chat, SMS, social media or other platforms.

How does your center use data and analytics to improve call center efficiency?

Contact centers are a treasure trove of data, but harnessing that data is no small feat. Increasingly, there is significant investment in software and tools designed to aggregate this data, enabling the identification of opportunities and areas for improvement. We have heavily invested in resources to consolidate this data and present it in formats that are easily absorbed and utilized. Our primary tool for data utilization is Power BI dashboards, which allow us to gain insights into performance at both micro and macro levels with just a few clicks. These insights are crucial for making course corrections to ensure we operate at peak efficiency and enhance the client experience. Additionally, we are currently investing in speech analytics to delve even deeper into our calls, uncovering further opportunities for improvement.

How has technology transformed contact center agents’ day-to-day work?

One of the most significant advancements is the use of technology to provide agents with detailed information about the call and caller, enabling more efficient and personalized interactions. When we can operate efficiently and tailor our engagements, clients are much happier with both the bank and the agent. This also leads to greater job satisfaction for agents, as their interactions are more positive. Additionally, technology is streamlining the process by reducing the number of places an agent needs to navigate on their computer during a call. By consolidating links and access points into a single screen or location, we achieve much quicker handling times.

How have banks approached implementing new technologies for smooth adoption?

Banks are increasingly leveraging advanced notifications to keep clients informed about changes before they go live. By sending emails or displaying messages in interactive voice responses (IVRs) and on mobile banking websites, banks can pre-educate clients in multiple, cost-effective ways. Reducing client surprise is crucial for successful implementation.

What role are self-service tools playing in the customer experience?

Clients increasingly want banking to be more convenient and user-friendly. They prefer to have control over their information and manage their day-to-day account needs without relying on live assistance. Banks have made significant strides in meeting this demand. When issues arise, clients typically seek self-service solutions first. To meet these expectations, banks are heavily investing in self-service technologies like chatbots and virtual assistants. These tools are foundational in this space, though there is still room for improvement. It’s an evolving investment, and continuous enhancements are being made. Clients are comfortable using these tools when they function well, so banks must not only invest in these technologies but also ensure they meet client expectations.

What strategies are being used by banks to keep agent performance high in call centers?

The strategy to provide the most personalized service to a client is crucial for agent performance. When agents have clarity on who they are speaking with, the purpose of the call, prior communications with the bank and the client’s recent activities, they can be efficient and deliver an outstanding client experience. Agents always need tools to help them improve, so banks must have a well-thought-out strategy for investing in technology solutions.

Beyond technology, it’s essential to create a positive and uplifting work environment. This has become more challenging with many agents working from home or on hybrid schedules. Supervisors must find ways to have meaningful touchpoints with their agents daily and discuss topics that matter to them. Providing regular rewards and recognition is more critical than ever.

What data are financial institutions drawing on to measure agent performance?

The primary metrics for measuring agent performance—handle time, schedule adherence, quality assurance and customer satisfaction (CSAT) score results—remain dominant. However, new technologies are offering additional ways to evaluate performance. One such technology is speech analytics, which can help measure client sentiment during calls. Ultimately, the client’s opinion is what matters most, and sentiment analysis provides another valuable metric to assess agent performance.

John Holt is Director of Care Centers for BOK Financial.