Total Member CareTM Achieves 95 Percent Revenue Growth in 2008

(allCUnews.com) - Total Member CareTM, a PSCU Financial Services solution formerly known as Digital Dialogue, provides 24/7 call center operations support and software solutions to credit unions. Total Member Care ended 2008 with significant increases in clients, staff and call volume, resulting in a 95 percent revenue growth compared to an 89 percent revenue growth in 2007. Company officials expect growth to continue throughout 2009.

Since January 2008, 35 credit unions with average assets of more than $836 million and membership totaling almost 2 million have signed up for Total Member Care services, including Lake Jackson, Texas-based Texas Dow Employees Credit Union with 111,800 members and $1.3 billion in assets; Linthicum, Md.-based State Employees Credit Union with 250,000 members and $1.8 billion in assets and Merced, Calif.-based Patelco Credit Union with 236,000 members and $4.2 billion in assets. In addition, San Dimas, Calif.-based Financial Service Centers Cooperative Inc. (FSCC), a Credit Union Service Organization providing a shared branching network to serve members in remote or distant areas, signed a 10-year contract extension for Total Member Care services.

With significant increases in the number of clients came record-breaking increases in call volume. The Total Member Care solution ended the year with 17,000 calls received on Dec. 31, as compared with 9,900 calls received the same day last year. The month of Dec. saw 262,670 incoming calls, a record number of calls to date. The previous record call volume month was Nov. 2008, when Total Member Care handled 216,000 calls. Total call volume for 2008 was more than 2,271,400, which was up from 1,699,300 total calls received in 2007.

“Our staggering growth in client numbers and call volume leaves no doubt that credit unions are utilizing 24/7 total member service to proactively address market conditions and remain strong in turbulent times,” said Peter Schmitt, executive director of PSCU Financial Services.

In response to the significant swell in demand, PSCU Financial Services hired 122 Member Service representatives, three trainers, seven account managers and eight IT staff members to support the Total Member Care solution. With plans to hire an additional 200 employees in 2009, the company found it necessary to expand its Detroit-area facilities beyond its existing 9,300 square feet of office space into an additional 8,300 square feet of space. At the end of 2008, 260 employees were supporting 240 clients that use Total Member Care services.

“In a time when many organizations are making cuts and decreasing service offerings, credit unions are looking to increase member service, and Total Member Care will continue to provide them with an affordable and efficient way to deliver total member service,” said Schmitt. “As a result of market demand for 24/7 call center service, we have seen an enormously successful year. The Total Member Care solution stands out in its cost-effective and convenient offerings to credit unions and we expect our momentum to continue throughout 2009.”

As of Jan. 1, 2009, Digital Dialogue transitioned from being a wholly owned subsidiary of PSCU Financial Services to being an integral part of the organization under the solution name Total Member Care. Digital Dialogue employees are now employed by PSCU Financial Services. The move signifies an effort to utilize best practices across both organizations while delivering unified and superior member service to all clients.

About PSCU Financial Services

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, PSCU Financial Services is the nation's largest credit union service organization (CUSO) and serves more than 1,100 financial institutions nationwide. As a non-profit cooperative, the company is owned by more than 600 member credit unions representing over 13 million accounts and subscribers. Its Contact Centers handle more than 14 million inquiries a year.

PSCU Financial Services offers 24/7 member support through four Contact Centers: its Eastern operations center in St. Petersburg, Fla.; a Western operations center based in Phoenix, Ariz.; and two call centers in Detroit, Mich. These Contact Centers perform member servicing and new member acquisition, cross-selling and automated lending solutions as well as support for debit/credit/prepaid cardholders and online bill payment subscribers.

Established in 1977, the company provides a broad array of cost-effective, high quality financial services that include credit, debit, ATM, prepaid, bill payment and contact center solutions. PSCU Financial Services uniquely offers its members a full range of processing options, any combination from full service to in-house pass through processing for credit, debit and ATM transactions. As a leader in the credit union movement, the company offers gateway access to national and regional networks. It also provides full function ATM terminal driving services. For more information, visit PSCU Financial Services’ website at www.pscufs.com.