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Texas Banking - March 2002
Building a Successful eService Platform
By Rick Wilson and Linda Osborne
"'Doing things better' will also
mean 'doing things differently' - which is to say, it will
mean change." That was the viewpoint of management writer
John Guaspari in 1987 when he commented on the future prospects
of improving products and services. Fifteen years later, nothing
could be truer as banks and other key industries rush to attract
and retain satisfied clients by deploying new technology-based
strategies such as eService.
During the 1990's, the Internet gained
acceptance as one of the most innovative interactive communications
platforms ever devised. As processing speeds accelerated and
processor costs plummeted, more companies started using the
Net as an essential business tool. Building on earlier successes
(and failures), users moved beyond basic information exchange
to applications facilitating transactions and providing new
levels of customer service.
With the Internet lowering competitive
barriers and increasing the pace of business activity, successful
organizations found it increasingly advantageous to outsource
non-core business services so they could focus on their core
business activities. At the same time, service companies like
nationally recognized Administaff, the nation's leading Professional
Employer Organization (PEO), quickly adapted the Internet
as an efficient means of furnishing a variety of online services
for 24/7 use by their clients. Administaff's Web-based service
platform makes it easier for banks to attract and retain key
personnel by providing employees with access to a comprehensive
suite of services that enhances their productivity and quality
of life at home and on the job.
In 1998, Administaff launched the
first phase of its eService initiative, giving clients online
access to important personnel-related management information
24 hours a day. Described by Paul Sarvadi, Administaff's president,
as the online component of the company's "high-tech/high-touch"
approach to customer service, the site has evolved into the
Employee Service CenterSM, a cutting-edge Web portal
capable of bearing a client company's individual brand and
being customized by individual employees. Each new generation
of Administaff's eService platform is based on extensive customer
input about what would be most helpful and valuable to them.
"We're constantly asking our clients, both formally and
informally, about their preferences…and then we integrate
that feedback into the design of our services," says
Jeff Hutcheon, Administaff's vice-president of Web services.
The Employee Service CenterSM
puts a wealth of information at the fingertips of Administaff
clients and employees, allowing them to:
- Manage their 401(k) accounts,
find information on financial planning, access the employee
assistance program, look up medical benefits information,
and locate a doctor, pharmacy, dentist or eye-care provider.
- Access eUniversity, Administaff's
online training center.
- Change their direct deposit enrollment
information and view their pay history and pay stub reports.
- Update federal income tax withholding
information.
- Access a variety of forms related
to benefits, education, human resources, finance, payroll,
safety and workers' compensation.
- Find policies, frequently asked questions
and forms, and information for supervisors, including topics
such as recruiting, corporate culture and job descriptions.
The Employee Service CenterSM
also includes My MarketPlaceSM, an online shopping
site created exclusively for Administaff's clients, employees
and their families. Selected alliances provide special offers
often available only to larger companies. The site also offers
links to some of the nation's best-known retailers, conveniently
assembled as a one-stop online shopping center.
Worksite employees have access to
enhancements and customizable features to support their work
and personal lives, allowing them to:
- Use a library of information
tools that can be added, moved or deleted based on needs,
such as stock quotes, favorite Administaff forms, client
company directory, a list of Administaff service providers,
entertainment information, local weather and news.
- Access job-specific information
based on the employee's company role.
- Choose from six color schemes
to match their personal preference.
Administaff has received a number of prestigious
recognitions validating the importance of its innovative approach
to customer service, including its successful eService strategy.
InformationWeek named Administaff to its top 500 list
of information technology vendors. Fortune rated Administaff
as one of America's Most Admired Companies three consecutive
years. The company was added to the Fortune 500 list
for the first time in 2001. Administaff has also twice earned
a spot on the Forbes Platinum 400 list of best big
companies in America.
Doing things better, including customer
service, will always mean doing things differently in some
form or fashion. Administaff's eService platform exemplifies
how a company can use innovation and technology to accomplish
its long-term goals by making it easier for its clients to
reach theirs.
Rick Wilson is a regional manager for
Administaff, one of the nation's leading personnel management
companies. He can be reached at (281) 873-2717. Linda Osborne
is a sales consultant at the Administaff sales office located
in Austin. She can be reached at (512) 231-4510.
Reprinted with permission
from Texas Banking, March 2002.
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