Why iQor?
In this case study, iQor and a Fortune 500 energy company partner in a transformative strategic outsourcing relationship. This story builds on the energy provider’s global success with iQor throughout our 15+ year relationship. Discover how our CX operational expertise achieved $14 million in annualized savings for our energy client by reading the first case study here.
In this update, we share the next chapter: unmatched speed to proficiency for contact center agent training, sustainable record-low attrition compared to energy industry trends, and CX innovations that unlock operational excellence for our energy client.
Employee-Centric Culture Differentiates iQor’s Operational Excellence
The high volume, high demand services our energy client provides to millions of customers initially led them to consider outsourcing. They required a BPO partner that could meet their high standards for customer service quality, operational excellence, and compliance.
The energy provider selected iQor over recognized leaders in the Everest CXM PEAK Matrix. iQor’s culture of employee satisfaction differentiates us from other outsourcing vendors, positioning us as a strategic partner with a motivated, multilingual talent pool equipped to navigate personalized customer interactions and compliance requirements.
Investing in employee satisfaction is a long-standing core value in our business. Our dedicated client teams build successful programs that deliver best-in-class customer experience through strategic investments in our on-site and work-at-home agents. We proudly achieve exceptional 70% employee net promoter scores—40% above industry norm—across the energy provider program’s service locations, underscoring our commitment to superior customer service delivery that supports the client’s business growth.
iQor’s Strategic Transformation Blueprint for Energy Customer Service Delivery
Since the program’s launch, iQor’s BPO solutions have exceeded expectations, with strong gains in customer satisfaction, quality assurance, first call resolution, average handle time, client utility, and transaction satisfaction. Here’s what sets us apart:
1. iQor specializes in harnessing strategic, data-driven insights for optimal resource allocation, blending human expertise with CX automation.
2. iQor deftly integrates cloud-based omnichannel solutions, automation, process optimization, proficiency training, and security.
3. iQor’s diverse global footprint provides access to highly skilled talent whose satisfaction we maximize through award-winning training and career development processes.
Read on to discover the innovative strategic outsourcing solutions that have secured our client’s trust and satisfaction through millions in cost savings, making us their only BPO across their comprehensive CX operation and positioning us to support their future growth.
Success Snapshot
Unstoppable Performance
- Seamless site launches.
- Holistic process management.
- CX automation insights.
- Trusted regulatory compliance.
- Scalable service excellence.
Irresistible Outcomes
- 3% agent attrition.
- 70% eNPS.
- Higher year-over-year KPIs.
- 90%+ CSAT and FCR.
- $14 million cost savings in Year One.
Background
The energy provider’s sizable customer base requires high-touch support for the critical energy services our client provides. They place a high value on specialized customer service support that efficiently accommodates their energy consumer needs.
Due to the complexities of energy bills and the vital role energy plays in daily life, customers of energy companies often require a high-touch approach to customer service, which requires skilled, empathetic customer service teams who consistently deliver excellent customer engagement.
iQor customer service agents are trained to deliver personalized interactions and ensure energy customers understand the details of their accounts, make informed decisions, and receive prompt assistance during outages or service issues. Ultimately, high-touch customer service fosters positive experiences that can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty for energy providers.
How the BPO Partnership Evolved to Meet Growing Energy Customer Service Needs
Initially, the client sought non-voice back office support services to enable efficiency in their growing business. After conducting a rigorous evaluation process, they selected iQor as their BPO partner over several recognized Leaders in the Everest CXM PEAK Matrix for both voice and non-voice customer service.
iQor’s commitment to employee satisfaction and operational efficiency presented a unique value proposition for the energy provider to improve their CX operation. As our performance continued to exceed the energy provider’s expectations, they added additional lines of business to our portfolio of services delivered:
- Early-stage delinquency inbound services.
- Customer financial assistance program.
- Payment processing with IVR support.
- Service order calls.
- Specialized meter installation support.
Beyond the expanded service offerings, iQor supports the energy provider in a consultative role, providing insights designed to transform and optimize every level of their customer service delivery model.
Decades of Energy Domain Experience Inform iQor’s Performance-Driven Approach to Optimizing CX Operations
iQor’s proven experience in the energy industry played a crucial role in securing this partnership. Our CX experts are deeply embedded in the evolving regulatory landscape for energy companies, ensuring our solutions sustain our client’s commitment to compliance.
iQor’s employee development practices accelerate agent proficiency across multiple geographies, ensuring reliable customer service regardless of location. This is reflected in our consistent achievement of the energy provider’s performance targets, including customer satisfaction, resolution rates, and more.
iQor has become an integral part of the energy provider’s customer service ecosystem, earning their strong praise for the unmatched quality of our call center operations.
Business Opportunities
The energy provider’s rapid growth created a need for specialized CX staffing support. They turned to iQor for outsourced customer service agents empowered by optimized recruitment and retention strategies and trained to achieve high performance benchmarks.
BPO Partnership Delivers Integral Energy Compliance Standards
Regulations and labor agreements add specific parameters to our energy client’s pursuit of nearshore and offshore customer service locations. Rigorous regulation and security requirements contributed to the energy provider’s diligence in selecting the best-fit BPO candidate with the capabilities needed to deliver the support they need.
Safety-First Processes Build Customer Trust With Every Interaction
iQor prioritizes safety in every interaction for the energy provider. Understanding the inherent risks within the energy sector, our comprehensive training equips agents to identify and address potential safety concerns. This includes recognizing signs of gas leaks, electrical hazards, and other urgent risks observed from customer descriptions.
Furthermore, time-sensitive protocols are in place to ensure prompt response during power outages or emergencies. Clear communication and thorough skills assessment are high priorities in our training and compliance standards to ensure the well-being of both customers and employees throughout every service interaction.
Connecting Energy Customers to Assistance Programs That Alleviate Hardship
iQor also partners with the energy provider to connect customers facing financial hardship with vital assistance programs, a key requirement for energy customer service compliance.
Experienced iQor agents help customers navigate the assistance qualification process with empathy and efficiency. By asking clear, supportive questions and considering their feedback, our agents can identify programs that alleviate financial burden and ensure customers stay on track with their energy bills.
iQor’s commitment to compliance is underscored by our zero trust cybersecurity approach that ensures world-class protection of sensitive energy customer information. Our protocols ensure every user and device requesting access to privileged information undergoes thorough authentication and authorization checks, protecting our client’s reputation and the data privacy of their end customers.
Solution
The energy company partnered with iQor to craft a strategy that would produce exceptional employee and customer experiences along with significant financial savings. The teams worked closely to transition much of the energy company’s support to nearshore and offshore locations that met their support criteria.
The energy provider is committed to deploying an agent workforce with a high degree of employee satisfaction in a supportive work environment. iQor’s comprehensive active-learning training and development frameworks position us as the ideal outsourcing partner to support our client’s initiative for achieving highly engaged, high-performing teams.
Our client entrusted iQor’s CX experts to elevate employee satisfaction, automate workflows, and comprehensively optimize their CX operation. Our new program implementation and operations teams collaborated to:
- Accelerate speed to proficiency.
- Optimize employee satisfaction.
- Identify automation opportunities.
- Deliver multilingual customer service.
- Optimize communication channels across all sites.
Here’s how we achieved the energy provider’s goals:
1. Award-Winning Active Learning Training Boosts Speed to Proficiency for Energy Customer Service Agents
iQor’s award-winning training programs utilize active learning techniques to accelerate speed to proficiency, ensuring agents are fully equipped to handle the energy industry’s specific requirements.
iQor’s iLead Next Level Career Coaching program has been recognized with the Bronze Stevie® Award for 2024 and 2023. This highlights iQor’s dedication to a workplace culture that thrives on active engagement, effective support and coaching methods, and high employee satisfaction.
2. Machine Learning-Powered Coaching and Development for Improved Employee Retention
iQor prioritizes agent well-being and career growth opportunities. We leverage multiple channels to gauge employee satisfaction, including regular surveys and a proprietary check-in process. By analyzing feedback and exit interviews, we’ve streamlined our ESAT tools to capture valuable insights to inform retention strategies.
iQor’s data scientists harness the power of machine learning, building an AI large language model (LLM) that can accurately predict when agents are at risk of attrition. By analyzing historical data on multiple data points including performance, work characteristics, and employee satisfaction, the model identifies agents at risk of leaving. This allows for targeted interventions like coaching, career development, or workload adjustments. This model is continuously refined with fresh data, ensuring its effectiveness in optimizing agent retention and reducing turnover.
Our holistic approach to employee satisfaction informs targeted coaching and development opportunities. Additionally, we track coaching interventions to ensure they’re having a positive impact. This proactive approach empowers us to identify potential risks of attrition and implement retention strategies, fostering a loyal and engaged workforce.
Streamlined Recruitment and Onboarding Harnesses AI to Maximize Contact Center Employee Experience
Meeting the client’s high volume seasonal ramp demands for skilled agents requires a strategic approach. That’s why we leverage iQor’s Symphony [AI]TM ecosystem to identify and attract top talent with the specific skills needed. We then streamline the recruitment and onboarding process to excel in the energy sector’s customer service environment.
3. Intelligent Workflow Automation Strategies Amplify Specialized Energy Customer Interactions
iQor identified an opportunity to streamline call center processes in the back office by automating certain manual tasks such as acknowledgements, data entry, and status updates, reducing the average handle time and improving resolution rates.
iQor proactively identifies opportunities for our client to leverage smart automation across their CX operation. This empowers efficient management of repetitive tasks and provides real-time guidance to customer service agents. Our strategic recommendations enable agents to focus their talents on resolving complex customer interactions and building stronger relationships.
4. Effective Multilingual Customer Service Delivery Fosters Cultural Affinity With Diverse US Customer Base
iQor’s strategic placement in nearshore and offshore locations empowers the energy provider to deliver exceptional multilingual customer service across the U.S. This geographically diverse workforce allows them to tap into a talent pool with native fluency in languages spoken by a significant portion of the American population.
By strategically matching agents with customers based on language and cultural background, iQor fosters a sense of cultural affinity during interactions. This ensures clear communication while building trust and rapport with customers, leading to a more positive customer experience. This personalized approach strengthens the connection between the energy provider and its diverse customer base.
5. BPO Leadership Consolidates Energy Provider’s Global Contact Center Communication Channels
iQor’s senior leadership delivered a seamless transition for the energy provider by establishing a single point of contact for global operations. Consolidating the communication channels ensured full transparency, keeping our client informed and engaged about the program’s progress across all locations every step of the way.
By streamlining communication, iQor’s team highlighted our commitment to ease-of-doing-business, a hallmark of the iQor experience. Our approach exceeded the energy provider’s expectations for a first-time outsourcing experience nearshore and offshore, creating smiles for their large base of satisfied customers.
The program continues to evolve, with iQor and the client working collaboratively to develop agile, proactive CX solutions that ensure long term success. This dedication to continuous improvement—one of our iQorian Values—is key to sustaining the client’s trust in iQor’s outsourced services and paves the way for an even stronger partnership in the future.
Results
Achieved agent attrition in the 3% range across all locations.
Achieved 70% employee net promoter scores (eNPS).
Optimized the employee experience for higher satisfaction and tenure.
Introduced new AI, automation, and analytics tools that streamline processes.
Managed 100% of the client’s inbound email with excellent outcomes.
Set and achieved aggressive timeline for achieving ramps and speed to proficiency.
Met or exceeded critical key performance indicator (KPI) targets since program launch with year-over-year (YoY) improvements:
a. 93% customer satisfaction (CSAT), a +5.5% year over year increase.
b. 92% first call resolution (FCR), a +7% year over year increase.
c. +4% quality assurance (QA) year over year.
d. +20.3% improved average handle time (AHT) for voice.
e. +6.5% improved average handle time (AHT) for email.
f. +3.2% gain in client utility & transaction satisfaction.
Sustained cost savings, including $14 million in Year One.
A Strong Foundation for Future Energy Success Through CX Operational Excellence
iQor’s 15+ year relationship with the energy provider positioned us as a trusted advisor, leading to a strategic transformation of their customer experience model that has resulted in unwavering achievements for nearly three years. In the dynamic energy sector, our agility ensures we adapt to our client’s evolving business needs with a CX framework customized to the needs of the business and the industry.
iQor’s partnership approach transcends traditional outsourcing. We empower our energy partners for success by delivering proactive advice and recommendations, setting ourselves apart as a full-service provider of CX business solutions. The result is best-in-class operational excellence, continuously optimized to fuel ongoing growth.
