When a student or their family member calls a university department, the call often begins with a clunky exchange of information. The agent waits on the line as the caller hunts for a student ID number, spells the student’s name and confirms a security PIN before they can discuss the reason for their call. 

To streamline the process and improve the caller’s experience, the Office of Information Technology’s Unified Communications team is rolling out a new Student ID and Parent Access Verification feature. This enhancement allows callers to enter their information before connecting with an agent.

How It Works

• Pre-Call Prompts: When dialing in, callers are prompted to identify their role and enter details via the phone keypad.
• Immediate Assistance: By the time a live agent answers, the system has already securely validated the student ID and sent the relevant student records and authorized parent access permissions to the agent. Without having to manually verify identities or search for account information, agents can begin helping the caller immediately.
• Privacy: For parents and families, the system eliminates the awkward friction of verifying whether they are legally authorized to discuss a student’s account, helping agents maintain strict privacy requirements and provide faster, more personalized service.

Impacts on Efficiency

Initial results show a major efficiency boost. The Cashier’s Office reported a 37% drop in queue wait times and a 41% reduction in abandoned calls. The Student Services Center also saw significant improvements in wait times and call completion rates.

What’s Next

With successful rollouts in the Cashier’s Office and Student Services Center, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is adopting the feature next. The long-term goal is to implement this feature across all call centers on campus that require student verification.