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For over 80 years, Heartland Credit Union has been proudly serving communities across Wisconsin. But when a significant merger rapidly expanded its membership, the credit union found itself at a crossroads.
To uphold its legacy of personalized service, Heartland knew it needed to modernize its contact center to become a more efficient, data-driven service hub designed to meet the needs of its growing membership.
However, Heartland faced challenges in achieving this vision. Relying solely on an aging phone system, the credit union struggled to meet the increasing demand:
It was clear that Heartland required a comprehensive solution that could integrate multiple channels and provide the data-driven insights it craved.
That's when Heartland turned to Glia.
After Heartland underwent a core conversion and selected Alkami as its new digital banking solution, the credit union sought to revamp its contact center with an Alkami partner. Glia was the clear choice, as Daniel Mijal, VP of Digital Strategy, explains: "The synergy between Alkami and Glia solidified our choice, as both platforms complemented each other seamlessly. The integration of these two systems promised to enhance our operational efficiency and improve member satisfaction."
Heartland's journey with Glia began in March 2023 with a single chat queue that would spark a year of rapid innovation. As members enthusiastically embraced the new digital lifeline, Heartland quickly expanded its Digital Customer Service (DCS) toolkit. By year's end, Heartland deployed digital voice and video capabilities, giving members the freedom to engage on their terms.
March 2024 marked the launch of Heartland's digital branch team, a team of digital experts handling everything from quick queries to complex financial discussions across all digital channels.
Ready to upgrade its legacy phone solution and unify its entire contact center under Glia’s Unified Interactions Management (UIM) platform. The credit union deployed Glia Call Center (GCC) in May of 2024, Glia’s fully integrated call center platform built to integrate with the other digital channels. Suddenly, digital and call center teams were working in perfect harmony, armed with shared insights and a 360-degree view of each member's journey.
Heartland now had access to real-time performance metrics, member interaction trends, and service quality indicators, all powered by Glia's robust reporting functions. With this newfound wealth of data at their fingertips, Heartland was poised to make rapid efficiency gains to serve its growing member base, while also positively impacting the day-to-day experience of its representatives.
No longer forced to rely on instincts over insights, Heartland Credit Union achieved dramatic improvements across all aspects of its contact center efficiency. The numbers tell a compelling story of transformation:
To effectively address its high call abandonment rate, Heartland Credit Union first needed to understand its root causes. Leveraging the wealth of data provided by GCC, the credit union uncovered a surprising pattern: most of these "abandoned" calls were actually members hanging up and immediately redialing, hoping for a faster connection.
Armed with this insight, Heartland leveraged Glia's call-back feature to address the issue head-on. Members are instantly informed of their place in line and can request that a representative calls them when available instead of waiting on hold.
The results were dramatic: Overall abandonment rate plummeted to just 10%—a remarkable 62% decrease, with abandonment after 20 seconds dropping to a mere 6.5%.
This simple yet effective solution not only eliminated the frustration of long hold times but also provided members with a sense of control over their wait experience. By understanding the problem through data, Heartland effectively engages with a larger portion of its growing membership, enhancing satisfaction and reducing the risk of members seeking services elsewhere.
Even when members opt to stay on the line waiting for service, they now spend less time on hold with an average wait time of 66 seconds.
How? Heartland took a two-pronged approach to achieve this reduction:
The impact was immediate and significant. As Mijal notes, "Within the first week of launching our digital team and call center on Glia, we noticed an immediate impact. Average wait time was reduced to a matter of seconds."
This reduction in wait times allows Heartland to handle more member inquiries per day without increasing headcount. More importantly, it ensures that as membership grows, the credit union can maintain its commitment to prompt, efficient service.
Perhaps most impressively, Heartland slashed its Average Handle Time (AHT) by 40%, from 298 seconds to just 181. This dramatic improvement came from reimagining how the credit union solved member issues:
By harnessing these tools, Heartland resolves issues faster and more effectively, serving more members without increasing staff—crucial for efficiently managing their growing member base.
Heartland's efficiency gains translated directly into an impressive increase in service capacity. Before implementing Glia, the credit union handled an average of 4,500 member interactions per month. Post-implementation, this number surged to an average of 6,400 monthly interactions—a remarkable 42% increase.
This boost in capacity wasn't just about quantity; quality improved as well. Heartland's phone service level jumped from 75% to an outstanding 97%, ensuring that nearly all members received timely assistance.
This dramatic improvement in service capacity and quality demonstrates how Heartland's data-driven approach allowed it to scale its operations effectively, meeting the needs of its expanding membership while enhancing its high standards of service.
Heartland Credit Union didn't just improve its efficiency metrics—it made life measurably easier for its members. The results speak for themselves: an impressive 4.53 out of 5 average experience score and 93% of members saying they would use the service again. These numbers reflect a deeper truth: Heartland had successfully scaled its operations while enhancing its signature personal touch.
With dramatically reduced wait times and handle times, Heartland eliminated one of the biggest frustrations in customer service: feeling like your time isn't valued.
By offering a variety of communication channels—chat, video, and traditional phone support—Heartland ensured they could serve all members effectively, regardless of personal preferences, technological comfort levels, or even geographical location.
Mijal shares a powerful example: "When members travel abroad, it's common for their cellular network not to work. In the past, this meant they had no real-time method of contacting us. Our team now routinely takes chats and video calls from members in other countries who love that they can connect with us even when they're half a world away."
Heartland didn't just speed up interactions—it made them more personal and effective. Representatives utilized CoBrowsing to guide members through complex processes as if they were sitting side-by-side, and video verification added a human touch to the often-impersonal authentication process.
Heartland's innovative approach to member service didn't stop at remote interactions. The credit union took a bold step to blend the digital and physical worlds by establishing dedicated Glia offices in its branches.
"We have a Glia office set up at every branch, which is like a portal to our digital team," Mijal explains. "If a member is at a branch and the on-site staff can't help we can immediately connect that member to our digital experts via video, screen sharing, or chat."
This seamless integration ensures that no member leaves a branch without getting the help they need. "We're not letting members walk away or telling them to go home and start a chat," Mijal emphasizes. "We can provide that same level of personalized service right there in the branch, whether it's over video or chat."
But the benefits of Heartland's transformation weren't limited to its members. As the credit union revolutionized its service model, it discovered an unexpected bonus: a significantly improved employee experience.
The same tools and strategies that delight members also make life better for Heartland's dedicated staff.
The implementation of Glia’s Unified Interaction Management (UIM) platform breaks down long-standing silos between departments. Operating in one ChannelLess® platform empowers Heartland’s digital and call center teams to work together seamlessly to address all member needs. This integration eliminates the frustration of working across multiple systems, reducing confusion and shortening handle times.
Staff now have unprecedented visibility into call volumes and queue status. Mijal notes, "Our staff leave the day less stressed because they can see the call volume and handle it effectively." This transparency, combined with tools like CoBrowsing, empowers employees to resolve issues faster.
Real-time reporting also allows managers to ensure that queues are staffed appropriately, further reducing stress on the front-line team, resulting in a more balanced workload and increased satisfaction.
One of the most surprising benefits was the ease with which employees have adapted to the new system. "The buy-in is easy because the platform is so intuitive," Mijal shares. "When we started training our team, it took under 30 minutes. It's all right there and so easy to use." This ease of use translates into faster ramp-up times for new hires and increased confidence for existing staff. Employees now focus on serving members rather than navigating complex systems, leading to more satisfying interactions for both staff and members.
The success of the digital transformation in the contact center has created a buzz throughout the organization with additional teams inquiring about how to use Glia in their respective departments.
As Heartland continues to evolve, it’s exploring ways to further leverage its new capabilities. Plans are underway to implement Glia's AI-powered smart routing system to replace traditional IVR, making call queues even more efficient and to bring more departments on board, creating an even more connected ecosystem.
By prioritizing both member and employee experience in their digital transformation, Heartland Credit Union has created a virtuous cycle of improvement. The institution proves that with the right tools and approach, credit unions can thrive in the digital age, creating better outcomes for members, employees, and the institution as a whole.
Reflecting on the journey with Glia, Mijal has one regret: “Jump in and use it all! Our biggest regret was not implementing voice and video immediately. Don’t restrict your organization and members to just one digital channel. Glia is truly a valuable member service tool that will make everyone’s life easier.”
As Heartland partners with Glia to boost member service in the digital age, we’re here to help your organization chart its own course forward. Reach out today to find out what your institution can do with Glia’s fully connected UIM platform and Cortex AI solutions.
