Building a Nationwide
2-1-1 Business Model
Homeowners Dignified Transition Project
Opportunities, Challenges
and Lessons Learned
AIRS Conference
May 22, 2012
Presenters
Linda Daily
UWW
Lisa Bullen-Austin
UWW
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Tino Paz
UWW
Steve Wertheim
2-1-1 Cleveland
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Workshop Objective
Participants will be provided with information, tools
and resources that would prepare a 2-1-1 provider to
position its center or state system for participation in a
nationwide contract.
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Agenda
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•
Bank of America – UWW Partnership Development
•
Lessons Learned – What does a 2-1-1 need to do to
participate on similar projects in the future? Things to
consider?
•
Tips from the participating 2-1-1 centers
•
Business Model Construct
•
Q&A
Background
2010
Promotion of how 2-1-1 can help
respond to the crisis: Locally, Statewide, National Level in partnership
with Banking Industry
2008
2-1-1s received increase calls
from struggling and distressed
homeowners
6
2012
The community services
helpline has received over
4170 calls since June
2011
2011
Bank of America was the first
to capitalize on it and offered
opportunity to develop a new
business model from a
2009
national perspective
2-1-1 centers and UWW
initiated a call to action to
assist on the mortgage
crisis and warned of the
impact on a nationwide
scale
2013
Other financial institutions
look to participate with
UWW and 2-1-1 in projects
similar to the Help Line
using the 2-1-1 dialing code
Bank of America
Objective
To provide education and
community resource support to
enable a “dignified transition” for
customers who will leave their
home (short sale, deed in lieu, or
foreclosure).
Primary
Ease the burden of the transition.
Secondary
Drive customers to engage with
Bank of America to prevent
foreclosure.
The Partners
United Way Worldwide has been an invaluable
key partner for the development of the Home
Transition Guide as well as providing exclusive
information and referral telephone services to
assist our customers in identifying community
services.
In addition, community leaders served as
members of an Advisory Group to provide
guidance for the program, including development
of the Home Transition Guide.
• CredAbility
• Homefree-USA
• National Urban League
• NeighborWorks® America
• National Council of La Raza
• Homeownership Preservation Foundation
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling
• National Coalition for Asian Pacific American
Community Development
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Transition Guide
Cover Letter
& Envelope
Folder With Pocket
Guide Placed In Folder
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Community Resources Helpline Objectives
1. A trusted advocate and non-profit to help customers through the
transition
2. Single phone number to call
3. Consistent and established process to obtain referrals that would
stand up to media scrutiny
4. Use an 800 number as the face of 2-1-1 without submitting 2-1-1
to the media and political scrutiny
5. Provide Bank of America specialized reporting regarding the
unmet needs of their customers in transition
6. Nationwide focus on customers in need while continuing to build
capacity within the 2-1-1 network for future nationwide contracts
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SUCCESS STORIES
Making a difference one referral at a time
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Homeowners Transition Help Line
United Way Homeowners Transition Help Line provides a
neutral environment where customers are given referrals
and information that empower them to make better
decisions regarding their situation
What do customers want when they call?
1. Assistance to resolve their home loan issues or stay in
home
2. Better understanding of Short Sale and Deed in Lieu
3. An advocate and an impartial, empathetic ear
4. Referrals that can help regain financial stability i.e. Utility
Assistance, food, prescription assistance, employment
counseling, finalization of mortgage issue
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What 2-1-1 centers need to do to participate in
the future?
Do you have……
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
Basic call center equipment and technology

I&R software – cloud based

Demonstrated quality metrics

Ability to identify and integrate new resources into a common
database

Business Continuity Plan

Dedicated Quality Assurance FTE

IT capacity and back up/redundancy in place (Wi-Fi, routers)

Available office space for dedicated FTE or room for expansion

Risk assessment and impact on your organization

Internal cash flow system

Can do attitude/flexibility
Quality Assurance
Measuring our success in meeting the customers needs
Program Management
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•
Quality Assurance Manager job description
•
Calibration and mission alignment
•
Evaluation criteria
•
Metrics/Reporting – similar/consistent with other contracts
•
2-1-1 Site Management
Technology
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•
Telephony
•
Database
•
Dynamic & Real-time Reporting
TIPS AND LESSONS LEARNED
FROM CLEVELAND AND PORTLAND 2-1-1 CENTERS
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Tips and Lessons Learned
Cleveland’s Decision to bid……
Pros
 Diversification of Funding
 Use of new technology
 Work with United Way
Worldwide
 Collaborate with another
 2-1-1 center
 Cross-train staff
 Private Sector Contract
 Blueprint for future of 2-1-1
 Respond to a National
Need
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Cons
 Aligning with a Bank
 Funder may not like your
ideas
 Rapid Start-Up
 Project did not serve a
universal public
 Razor thin overhead
 Multiple phone and
database systems
 Vendor versus
collaborative relationship
Implementation Challenges and Concerns
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
Tight budget - What happens if health care costs increase?

Rapid-Start Up - Needed all departments to work together quickly

Physical space required expansion

Re-Assignment and addition of management staff

How to best deliver the service? What database? Protocols?

Metrics/Quality focus for a call center is different from a standard
2-1-1

Getting the Contractor to listen to 2-1-1 ideas and expertise.
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Project Benefits
(Upfront and On-going)
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
Money for physical expansion of 2-1-1 center

Cross-training staff on 2-1-1

Created a “farm team” for 2-1-1 staff when project ends

Utilized/Tested In-Contact, cloud-based contact center

Provided reason and funding to re-structure contact center management
staff (e.g., new Quality Assurance, Training and Recruitment position)

Able to learn from United Way Worldwide’s Project Management Staff
with technology and/or contact center industry experience (e.g. reporting
assistance, calibration calls)

Able to work with/learn from another 2-1-1
Tips and Lesson’s Learned
(Advice to other 2-1-1 centers)
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
Budget carefully – have a little bit of cushion, but don’t expect to turn a
large “profit.” Remain competitive.

Strategically spend the dollars (infrastructure improvement, lasting items).

Have a precise recruitment process, be critical of hires and be prepared to
remove people from the project.

Have quick access to specialists (Information Technology, HR, Building
Management).

Understand the mission of the project may differ from the mission of 2-1-1.

Be flexible – the project could require you to “learn new moves”

Don’t expect to fix everything or align the project to your expectation – the
funder has their own agenda.

Be Careful of Mission Creep!
Business Model Generation
by Alexander Osterwalder &Yves Piguneur
A Business Model describes the rationale
of how an organization creates, delivers
and captures value.
1. Co-created by 470 business
practitioners from 45 countries
2. Provides a framework for reexamining current business models
and developing new models
3. Defines concepts to aid in developing
common vision, models and
implementation strategies
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Business Model Canvas
Nine Elements
A Business Model is how a business creates, delivers and
captures value
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1.
Customer Segment
CS
2.
Value Proposition
VP
3.
Customer Relationship
CR
4.
Channels
CH
5.
Revenue Streams
R$
6.
Key Partnerships
KP
7.
Key Resources
KR
8.
Key Activities
KA
9.
Cost Structure
C$
Business Model Canvas
KP
KA
VP
CR
KR
C$
Legend
KP - Key Partnerships
KA - Key Activities
KR - Key Resources
VP - Value Proposition
CR - Customer Relations
CS - Customer Segment
CH - Channels
C$ - Cost Structure
R$ - Revenue Stream
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CH
R$
CS
Cost Structure Guiding Principles
1. Provide 2-1-1s with necessary operating capital to build
infrastructure, capacity and deliver quality service
2. Provide $$$ for 2-1-1 US network infrastructure development
– Telecommunications platform and linkage
– Database usage fee –seed money for Disaster Data
Management System development
– national staffing capacity
3. Ensure call to inquirer is free
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Questions?
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Contact Sheet
Linda Daily – United Way Worldwide: Linda.Daily@uww.unitedway.org
Tino Paz – United Way Worldwide: Tino.Paz@uww.unitedway.org
Lisa Austin – United Way Worldwide: Lisa.Austin@uww.unitedway.org
Stephen Wertheim – 2-1-1 Cleveland: swertheim@unitedwayclevland.org
Diane Gatto – 2-1-1 Cleveland: dgatto@unitedwaycleveland.org
Liesl Wendt – 2-1-1 Info Portland: Liesl@211info.org
Troy Hammond – 2-1-1 Info Portland: Troy@211info.org
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Thank you