TMNG Global Assesses and Implements Third Party Verification Process

Challenge

A major international Internet service provider had to improve their customer retention validation experience, in particular, and the overall independent sales verification process in general, and engaged TMNG Global to project manage a pilot-test of the use of Third Party Verification (TPV) to meet the independent verification requirements.

Third Party Verification is the practice of confirming a telephone-based sales transaction through an independent party and recording the verification. The practice creates an objective record of the customer’s agreement to the sale, and thus provides a measure of protection for both buyer and seller – confirming the particulars of a sale completed with the customer’s consent. Verification provides the closest equivalent to obtaining a signature on a sale conducted by phone.

The objectives of the TPV pilot test included:

• Create an effective TPV process that will improve the customer experience and provide benefits over the current letter-based verification process
  
  
• Determine if the service provider and the TPV pilot-test vendors can establish the required technology links to create a dependable and effective TPV process
  
  
• Determine which TPV methodology (live agent, automated, or a combination) best meets the service providers needs and customer preferences
  
  
• Identify the most effective verification scripting, transfer scripting and training process that will maximize the TPV completion rate
  
  
• Provide the necessary reporting and analysis to enable the service provider to determine if TPV is an equal or superior option to the current FTC compliance letter.

The TMNG Global Solution

After a thorough evaluation of the client requirements, TMNG Global recommended that the trial include two different TPV methodologies: Live Agent with Data Post and Interactive Voice Response (IVR).  We established the project plan which included vendor screening, RFP management, contract negotiations and the pilot test of vendor solutions.

Using our proprietary TMNG Lexicon™ methodology, we incorporated the customer requirements into a Request for Proposal (RFP), which was issued to the pre-screened vendors. We evaluated the vendor responses against the established criteria using the Lexicon™ supplier scorecard, which we then presented to senior management. Once the winning suppliers were selected, we conducted contract negotiations and finalized the contracts.   

Once all the pre-launch work was completed, the TPV vendors were then able to go live with the trial. The pilot testing was conducted for seven weeks, which allowed ample time for a thorough assessment of the effectiveness of the two TPV methodologies.

During the trial, TMNG Global worked closely with the TPV vendors and the service provider team to review the daily and weekly reports against the performance criteria. Based on the results, we identified areas that needed to be addressed, such as scripting changes or routing issues. We carefully tracked the pilot-test results against the project success criteria that we developed. At the successful conclusion of the trial, the results were then incorporated into a final report to client senior management, recommending a full TPV deployment.

Throughout the process, TMNG Global worked closely with the service provider’s internal and external legal groups, operations and business analyst experts and senior management to produce the key deliverables and deliver a successful trial.  As a result of the successful design and management of the pilot project, TMNG Global was retained to support the long-term enterprise wide deployment for the service provider and continues to manage the deployment of TPV to other locations around the world.

Benefits to the Client

The trial successfully met the company’s five objectives and demonstrated the effectiveness of TPV as the solution to their business problem.  As a result, the client was able to receive approval from various regulatory agencies to incorporate TPV into their verification process, which avoided further regulatory or legal issues.  Further, the new verification process enhanced the customer experience and improved retention rates for the service provider.  The client is so pleased with TMNG Global’s management of the TPV trial, deployment and management of the solution in the U. S., that we are now assisting the client to incorporate TPV into their call centers around the world.