Skip to main content

Innovating through crisis: How going virtual helped us improve customer service

 Like so many companies, COVID-19 totally upended how we do business. Our education team’s calendar is usually filled with on-site client visits, allowing them to provide face-to-face guidance to employees on retirement plans. 

Not so much in 2020.

This year, we’ve been pushed to think outside the box, to reimagine how we provide support and education and to establish a new normal for how we do business.

Moving online

Shifting focus to video and phone calls is the (relatively) easy part. Scheduling and logistics of said calls – that’s where things can get tricky.

Coincidentally, we started transitioning to an online scheduling tool a few months before the phrase “global pandemic” was a regular part of our lexicon. After testing it with a few clients, we were ready to roll it out more broadly by the time the world moved online.

Scheduling online, we are able to set parameters for when our team members are available for meetings, then supply a link to our client human resources departments to provide to their staff. Using that link, employees schedule one-on-one phone calls or video chats within our team’s pre-determined parameters for scheduling.

The result? We’ve held hundreds of one-on-one virtual meetings since the pandemic started, allowing us to maintain our valuable services for our clients’ employees during this critical time.

What we like about virtual visits

Advanced knowledge. When scheduling, employees note topics they want to discuss during their meeting. Knowing that in advance means we can prepare, making for more productive and informed conversations on both ends.

Shifting the burden away from HR. Human resource departments are busy enough. With online scheduling, employees connect directly with us after the initial link is sent out. Not only does this ease the workload for HR, it empowers employees.

We’re hearing more directly from participants, while keeping HR in the loop.

Ease of time constraints. On-site visits happen on a specific day, during a specific timeframe. Although we’ve always tried to be accommodating, inevitably there are some people who would like to meet with us, but can’t fit it in their day. Virtual meetings have removed a lot of those barriers. Especially in healthcare where there are plenty of second- and third-shift workers; providing greater flexibility in scheduling is a major win.

Room for improvement

Walk-ups. When we’re on-site, an employee may drop in for a meeting just because they happen to see us in the building. With online scheduling, that happens less and less. As safety concerns ease, our on-site presence will once again address this. Where visitation restrictions remain, our focus with HR has shifted from on-site scheduling logistics to messaging, visibility and flexibility.

A permanent shift

COVID-19 has redefined what our normal business looks like. We were already creating alternative online solutions before this global pandemic began, but the restrictions placed on us greatly accelerated our use and acceptance of virtual scheduling and meeting, probably by years.

As social distancing restrictions relax, we’ll be back meeting with our clients’ employees in person if that’s the right fit. But scheduling and meeting virtually is a change that’s here to stay to some degree, large or small, and we’re excited about that.

We’ll continue to use this tool beyond the pandemic as we strive to find even more ways to connect and meet our clients’ needs the best we can, wherever our clients may be.

If you have any questions, or would like to begin talking to a retirement plan advisor, please get in touch by calling (800) 388-1963 or email us at hbs@hanys.org.

Popular posts from this blog

SECURE 2.0 Discussion Series: Session One

SECURE 2.0 provisions: What we know and what’s still up in the air The SECURE 2.0 Act, signed into law in late December 2022, has factored heavily in retirement industry discourse since the final legislation was published. As with any legislation of this depth and breadth, there’s a lot to digest and the industry takes time to adjust. Our team of experienced advisors recently met to discuss some of the more nuanced provisions of the legislation, such as changes to Roth contributions, and what they could mean for plan sponsors. Panel participants included the following HBS team members: Noah Buck, Christina Bauer-Dobias, Sean Bayne, Vincent Bocchinfuso and Kathleen Coonan. Highlights of our panel’s conversation below should serve to help guide plan sponsor thinking. On Roth employer contributions NB – In addition to deferring pre-tax or Roth, plan sponsors can now allow employer contributions to be classified as Roth, is that right? VB – Correct. This is immediately available to plan s

COVID-19: Retirement and Benefit Plan Resources

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, we are closely monitoring news and updates from top sources. We’ll be updating this section as new developments unfold. Here are several key articles and links to help plan sponsors and administrators navigate the COVID-19 impact to retirement and benefit plans: Retirement Plans 4 Key CARES Act Provisions for Retirement Plan Sponsors Markets React to Coronavirus   Important Considerations for Retirement Plan Sponsors during the Coronavirus Pandemic In Fed We Trust Participant Education Services: Timely Help from a Safe Distance CRDs 100% Taxable for New York State and Local Income Tax Purposes in 2020 IRS Permits Remote Notarization of Participant Elections   Employee Benefits CARES Act Expands Health Coverage Rules Understanding the Historic $2 Trillion Stimulus Package Employee Compensation and Benefits During Closures and Furloughs DOL Clarifies Exemptions to Coronavirus Paid Leave Laws Small Business Exemption to

SECURE 2.0 Discussion Series: Session Two

The retirement industry has been buzzing since the SECURE 2.0 Act was signed into law last December. This new, comprehensive legislation has sparked a lot of discussion. As with any major reform, it will take time for the industry to fully adapt and understand all its implications. Following our April 11 webinar on the first three months of the industry’s response, our team reconvened to discuss some of what we have heard from our client and vendor partners and to respond to some of the great questions we heard from attendees. Panel participants included the following HBS team members: Noah Buck, Christina Bauer-Dobias, Sean Bayne, Vincent Bocchinfuso and Kathleen Coonan. The Discussion SB – Throughout the webinar, I wanted to stress two things: 1) confusion about where to start and what is expected from plan sponsors is normal; and 2) even more than three months in, this is a developing situation and people should expect changes as time goes on. With those in mind, engagement through