A Day in the Life of a Customer Service
Representative at the Federal Student
Aid Information Center (FSAIC)
Tri-States – DC-DE-MD ASFAA
November 8, 2011
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Presenters
Presenter:
Carol Mowbray, Customer Experience
Manager – Vangent
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Federal Student Aid
Information Center
About the Federal Student Aid Information Center
Being a CSR – Role, Responsibilities and
Responsiveness
CSR Resources, Updates
and Incident Management
Commitment to Quality
FSAIC School Advisory
FSAIC - Arizona
Group
Questions
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Federal Student Aid
Information Center
20 million FAFSAs
– 2011-2012
Encourage FOTW/ PIN
FAFSA Self-Service
Online Help Text
Automated Self Services
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Federal Student Aid
Information Center
1-800-4-FED-AID
Jose - AZ
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Established through the HEA, the
Federal Student Aid Information
Center (FSAIC) has primary
responsibility for providing best in
business service for the Federal
Student Aid programs to ensure
equal access to post-secondary
educational opportunity for every
individual.
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Federal Student Aid
Information Center
1-800-4-FED-AID
Tasked to provide timely and accurate
information and services for inquiries such as:
•
•
•
•
•
Information about FSA programs
FAFSA, PIN and SAR assistance
Information on student loan history
Publication requests
Contact information for related
entities (Default Resolution, Direct
Loan Servicing, etc.)
Sarah - AZ
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FSAIC Locations
Load balancing between three contact centers creates a
single virtual service center
Coralville, IA
Phoenix, AZ
Lawrence, KS
Las Cruces, NM
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Federal Student Aid Information Call
Center (FSAIC)
FSAIC – Phoenix, AZ
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IVR Call Flow
 Callers have several options for voice-recognition, self-service in
English or Spanish
– Top Ten Questions – Say ‘FAQs’
– Application status, Request duplicate SAR. Assistance with
Corrections – Say ‘ Application Status’
– Assistance with PIN or FAFSA on the Web – Say ‘ Web Site
Assistance’
– Information on existing loans
or lender – Say ‘Loans’
 Callers may transfer to a CSR
for assistance at any time
– Press 0 or Say ‘Customer Service’
Heidi – Heidi
Live Chat
- AZ - AZ
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Our Commitment to
Quality
Call Monitoring
• Peer monitoring
• Joint monitoring
sessions with staff,
management, & client
• Calibration between
contact centers ensures
consistency
• Call recording
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FSAIC - Iowa
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FSAIC Customer Satisfaction Survey
Survey ratings of 4 or greater (on 5
point satisfaction scale):
– IVR : Standard is 79.0%
• Highest week: July 17 at 83.0%
• Lowest week: October 9 at 76.9%
– CSR : Standard is 86.5%
• Highest week: July 17 at 90.8%
• Lowest week: October 9 at 83.4%
Questions
John Jackson, IA
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
IVR Service
80.7%
79.1%
78.8%
79.4%
80.5%
80.4%
80.6%
80.8%
78.7%
CSR Service
88.2%
88.1%
87.4%
87.4%
88.1%
88.9%
89.1%
89.0%
88.1%
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Improving the Experience
Voice of the Customer
Professional Community
Federal Student Aid
Vangent Team
Voice of CSR
McKenzie, IA
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Engagement with Financial Aid
Community
FSAIC School Advisory Group
established in each FSAIC
delivery location.
Vangent delivered a
presentation on the FSAIC for
the Iowa Association of Student
Financial Aid Administrators in
November.
We presented at the Tribal
College and University Training
event in May 2011.
FSAIC CSRs at FSA Conference
each year.
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November 30 - December 3, the FSAIC
supported the annual Federal Student
Aid Conference in the PC lab,
providing demonstrations of the 20112012 FAFSA.
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CSRs: Role and Responsibilities
Agenda
• Typical Day’s
Activities
− CSR Skill Set
− Call Structure
Estrella Leija-Homewood
• Peaks and Valleys
− Top Ten Questions
• Customer Focus
Trainer/Lead Training Specialist,
Iowa – June 2011
CSR – Phoenix, Arizona – 2003
FSA Conference Support
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Customer Service Skills and
Expectations
Customer Service Attribute
Examples
Phone and people skills
• Tone
• Grammar
• Attitude
Adherence to required
procedures
• Standard greeting
• Privacy Act
• Standard responses
Problem solving skills and
knowledge
• Probing questions
• Clear resolutions
• Appropriate options
General call expectations
• Verify school year
• Verify address
• Create phone log
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CSR Call Structure
Customer Service Representatives:
– Greet callers and assess their needs
– Request identifiers to comply with the
Privacy Act
– Use resources to answer callers’
questions
or refer them to the correct entity
– Scripting for specific situations / topics
– Code the call and leave historical logs
– End the calls with the
appropriate closing
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Kansas
Rachel and Anna, Iowa,
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FSAIC Peak Activity –
Spring and Summer
• Extended hours established
• Peak volume forecast and
staffing model established
• Increase FSAIC seats and
supervisor headcount
• New Hire training classes held in
all three FSAIC locations
• New cycle update training
provided to all FSAIC team
members
• Specialized Customer Service
Training
• College Goal Sunday support in
all sites
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Chelsea, IA
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FSAIC Disaster Recovery
Multi Site Delivery
Model
Fair Weather
Location (Phoenix,
AZ)
Broad Employee
Base for Rapid Hire
/ Training
Redundant
Infrastructure for
Failover / Continuity
of Service
Tested by Real
World Events;
Midwest Blizzards &
Iowa Floods
Lawrence, Kansas
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Coralville, Iowa
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This just in from Phoenix…!
Dust storm of July 5, 2011.
Looks scary, but no harm, no disruption.
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Top Ten Customer Questions
1. Is my application on
file?
2. I would like my loan
information.
3. How much financial aid
will I receive?
4. How do I request a
duplicate PIN?
5. My school has not
received my FAFSA,
what do I do?
6. How can I add a school
code to my form?
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Kansas
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Top Ten Customer Questions
7. How do I get to my
saved application?
8. Could you reset my
password on my
FAFSA?
9. How do I sign my
FAFSA application?
10. Why do I need my
parent’s
information?
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Yvette - AZ
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CSRs: Resources and
Recognition
Agenda
•
Staying current
− Training
− QuickSource
− Updates
•
Incentive and
Recognition
programs
Ron Townsend
Phoenix, AZ - Work Force Management
Specialist– May 2011
CSR – 2009 & Lead Supervisor – 2010
FSA Conference Support
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Emphasis on Training
Our Commitment to
Quality
Train-the-trainer
Initial employee
training
Refresher training
Annual update training
Annual in-service
Supervisor training
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Arizona Training Room
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Incentives and Recognition
Program
Customer Service Recognition Program
Customer Service Program Activities
Job
Whale
Done!
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Incentives and Recognition
Program
Kevin was monitored by FSA
customer and received high
praise for his outstanding
service.
Kevin’s caller was homeless, and
tried to get information at the
library but received poor service
due to her appearance.
FSA had this to say: “Kevin
listened and was extremely
patient with the caller keeping
the caller focused while offering
words of encouragement.”
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Customer Service
Award Winner – Kevin
Gilmer, Phoenix
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FSAIC School Advisory Group
 The FSAIC School Advisory Group is a
forum of practicing financial aid
administrators and educational
professionals who consider FSAIC
policies, practices and procedures.
They advise FSAIC, and by
extension, Federal Student Aid,
about programs, services and
activities of the Federal Student Aid
Information Center
Lawrence, KS Advisory Group Members and Students
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Composition
• All school types are represented: 2- and 4- year
publics, 4-year privates, graduate, private-for-profit,
college access and awareness organizations,
secondary counselors
• Face-to-face meetings 2 to 3 times each year
• Began June 2009
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Customer Interactions
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Questions or
Recommendations?
Sarah, KS
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Presenter Information
Carol Mowbray
Carol.Mowbray@vangent.com
(o) 703.284.5633
(m) 571.289.3658
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