COLUMBUS, Ga., Jan 10, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Aflac Incorporated has
been recognized for call center operation customer satisfaction excellence
under the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program(SM). This
distinction acknowledges a strong commitment by Aflac's call center operation
to providing an "Outstanding Customer Service Experience."
"This is a terrific honor," said Janet Baker, senior vice president,
Client Services. "It is a validation of our ability to keep promises to our
customers that we will be there to help them whenever they need us."
"J.D. Power and Associates' assessment reflects the Call Center's
commitment to providing the best service possible. Now matters to our
customers and when they contact us, we want to handle their request
immediately. This is very important to us, and it is certainly very important
to our customers. They expect it. This type of service is key to building
customer relationships and loyalty," said Tammy Briggs, second vice president,
Client Services, Customer Call Center.
Aflac's call center handled over 8 million contacts in 2004 from customers
through its call centers in Columbus, Ga. and Omaha, Neb. The call center
successfully passed a detailed audit of its recruiting, training, employee
incentives, management roles and responsibilities, and quality assurance
capabilities. In addition, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a random survey
among Aflac policyholders, payroll accounts and field force associates who
recently contacted its call center. For certification status, a call center
must perform within the top 20 percent of customer service based on J.D. Power
and Associates' cross-industry customer satisfaction research.
"Aflac has created a highly customer-focused culture driven by customer
values and a uniquely powerful appreciation and support of its employees,"
said Steve Kirkeby, senior director of the telecommunications practice for
J.D. Power and Associates. "Aflac utilizes a rigorous evaluation process to
ensure that the right people are handling customer inquiries, with an emphasis
on empowering employees to go above and beyond for their customers. This focus
on strong employee satisfaction results in high customer satisfaction with the
call center experience."
The evaluation criteria used during the survey includes: courtesy of the
customer service representative (CSR); knowledge of the CSR; the CSR's concern
for the customer questions and/or problem; usefulness of the information
provided; convenience of customer service operating hours; ease of getting
through to a CSR; and the timely resolution of the customer's problem,
question or request. Certification is valid for one year.
The Call Center Certification Program was launched by J.D. Power and
Associates in 2004 to evaluate overall customer satisfaction and help call
centers in various industries increase their efficiency and effectiveness by
establishing best practices for handling service calls.
There are more than 75,000 call centers in North America and an estimated
125,000 worldwide that help customers with product and service questions
across a multitude of industries, ranging from credit cards, financial
services, investment services, utilities, service warranty and insurance to
telecommunications, healthcare and office products.
J.D. Power and Associates is currently evaluating call centers across a
variety of industries to determine if they are eligible for certification.
Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL) is an international holding company. A
Fortune 500(R) company, Aflac insures more than 40 million people worldwide.
It is a leading writer of insurance products marketed at the worksite in the
United States, offering policies to employees at more than 312,900 payroll
accounts. The company insures one out of four Japanese households and is the
largest life insurer in Japan in terms of individual insurance policies in
force. In January 2004, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of "The
100 Best Companies to Work For in America" for the sixth consecutive year.
Also in January 2004, Aflac was named to Forbes magazine's "Platinum 400 List
of Best Big Companies in America" for the fifth consecutive year. In March
2004, Fortune magazine included Aflac in its annual listing of "America's Most
Admired Companies." Aflac's Internet address is Aflac.com.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an
ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in
key business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting,
training and customer satisfaction. Media e-mail contact:
michael.greywitt@jdpa.com or john.tews@jdpa.com
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in
this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates. www.jdpower.com
Media Contacts:
Patsy J. Thomas
Aflac Incorporated
(706) 317-6109
(706) 320-2288 (Fax)
pthomas3@Aflac.com
Michael Graywitt (East Coast)
J.D. Power and Associates
(805) 418-8000
Michael.greywitt@jdpa.com
John Tews (West Coast)
J.D. Power and Associates
(248) 267-6800
john.tews@jdpa.com