Callstream Partners with Open GI to Offer Expanded Services to UK Insurance Brokers

UK-based contact center solutions provider Callstream is partnering with insurance broker software provider Open GI to offer a new range of technology and communications services to UK insurance brokers.

Through the partnership, Open GI’s customer base will be able to integrate the Callstream suite into its back office platform.  The companies say that the new integrated capabilities will provide insurance brokers with:

• Increased customer retention and conversion
• Combined web and call enquiry tracking for more effective marketing spend
• More efficient management of claims partners
• An immediate disaster recovery and business continuity infrastructure
• PCI (News - Alert) compliance Level 1
• Fast responses to aggregator enquiries to maximize the ‘magic minute‘
• Ongoing reduction in capital expenditure.

In addition, Callstream will be offering its cloud-based insurance-focused call center products including the latest additions to their portfolio:

Midas: an integrated dialer that makes the most of inclusion on aggregators’ websites, intelligently selecting the best leads according to an insurer’s own priorities.

Vault:  a capability that enables callers to enter their credit card details via their telephone keypad, but suppresses the tones so they are not audible to call recording systems or call center agents. Since the data is passed securely to the payment gateway and not stored, Vault achieves PCI Level 1 compliance.

Webtrace: tracks individual visitors to a website and assigns them a unique telephone number to call, matches the customer’s online history to the telephone call, and provides a complete picture of the customer journey and accurate customer acquisition costs.

Callstream explains that through its joint work with Open GI, the partners will be developing specific products to integrate with the Open GI back office management systems. For example, a fully integrated SMS function recently went live.

“Partnering with an industry leader like Open GI is a mutually advantageous opportunity,” said Mick Crosthwaite, CEO, Callstream. “Together we are giving insurance brokers access to a range of products to enhance efficiency and help drive their businesses, seamlessly integrated into their current back office systems.”

Simon Hughes (News - Alert), Sales and Marketing Director, Open GI, added, “Our working partnership with Callstream has gone from strength to strength. We are delighted to be able to offer our brokers the opportunity to access the products and support available from Callstream through our back office management systems.”

These types of partnerships, or acquisitions of missing pieces of portfolios, are becoming common in the insurance technology space. Tasked with having to improve operational efficiencies, the customer experience and ensuring compliance with industry mandates are making the job of running a state-of-the-art contact center more complex and is the driving force behind vendors of contact center solutions in general, and particularly those looking to help insurers streamline operations and create differentiated value, to expand offerings to meet the needs of a very dynamic market.  

Edited by Maurice Nagle