Virtual Hold a Key Element in Utility Contact Center Crisis Management


AKRON, Ohio, June 19 - Virtual Hold Technology(R), LLC (VHT), the leading developer of virtual queuing solutions, announced that their Virtual Hold product is being implemented nationwide as part of a crisis management plan for many utility contact centers. With the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the many utilities that were affected during the last hurricane season, these utility companies are installing Virtual Hold in their contact centers to help them manage the large amount of calls they receive during outages.

During these peak times, Virtual Hold automatically notifies callers of their Estimated Wait Time (EWT) and offers them the choice to receive a Virtual Hold callback. This option allows callers to hang up, while a virtual placeholder saves their places in queue. As the placeholders approach the front of the queue, Virtual Hold calls the customers back and places them at the front of the queue to be answered by the next available agent. This means the customers only wait on hold for about 15 seconds before being answered.

"This technology has a profound effect in crisis management situations," says Michael Somody, Director of Operations & Customer Care for Virtual Hold Technology. "Many of the Public Utilities Commissions (PUCs) have strict regulations on answering customer calls. Virtual Hold allows most contact centers to fulfill their PUC requirements, and it also removes the customer frustration of long wait times." Add in the fact that it requires no agent training and that it typically pays for itself in sixth months, and it is understandable why utility companies across the seaboard and around the country are implementing this technology; such as TXU Energy, Florida Light & Power, Entergy, Centerpoint Energy, Mobile Gas Service, Pepco, and Texas Gas Service.

About Virtual Hold Technology

Virtual Hold Technology (VHT) is the leading developer of virtual queuing solutions for Fortune 1000 clients. Since its inception in 1995, VHT's patented award-winning virtual queuing technology has provided return call solutions focused on enhancing the customer experience for financial services, energy utility, insurance, telecommunications, cable, wireless and retail corporations such as Wells Fargo, Dominion, T-Mobile, Amerigroup, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Ticketmaster and Avon. To learn how the Virtual Hold virtual queuing solutions can help increase customer satisfaction and reduce contact center costs, visit virtualhold.com.

To experience a demonstration of a Virtual Hold call, dial 1-888-412-2214 (or 330-670-2214)

Virtual Hold Technology - Media Contact:
Eric Ryan
330.670.2241
eryan@virtualhold.com

Source: Virtual Hold Technology, LLC

Web site: http://virtualhold.com/

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