Chasity Withers: Contact Center Employees Prepared to Help Members

Employees in the contact center at Arkansas Federal Credit Union are like Swiss Army knives. Prepared for, and equipped to, handle anything.

With more than 100,000 members and up to 30,000 calls a month to the contact center, flexibility is a requirement.

“You never know what you’re going to get,” said Chasity Withers, contact center supervisor.

Chasity and her team handle just about anything an Arkansas Federal member could throw at them. The contact center at Arkansas Federal is not merely a way station, where members get transferred to and fro. It’s a one-stop shop to answer questions, fix problems and even offer products.

Chasity estimated that 90 percent of calls can be handled by a contact center consultant right away. 

“Most of the calls we take are something we can handle,” she said. “If not, we immediately get with other departments and receive the information and tools we need to take care of it.”

Contact center employees can handle any issue except those related to mortgages and collections, and even can sell products when necessary. Chasity said 30 percent to 40 percent of calls are from members essentially shopping — asking about Arkansas Federal’s low interest rates and other products.

“We’re going to help members find products that fit them best,” she said.

Whether it’s helping a member find the right loan option or setting up a member for automatic payments, Chasity and her team find solutions for members. When a frustrated member needed access to her recently deceased husband’s Arkansas Federal credit card account so she could set up automatic payments, Chasity walked her through the process and set up the necessary forms.

“We try to fix whatever the issue is so the member doesn’t have to call again about the same issue,” Chasity said. “We like to make sure we are fully taking care of the member in one call.”