When Systems Go Down, Communication Cannot Go Down With It

For a financial institution, few scenarios are more stressful than a widespread technology outage. Loss of access to account data is more than an inconvenience; it's an emergency.  

Over the past several weeks, financial institutions across the country have experienced something no bank or credit union ever wants to face: disruptions with critical core processing and digital banking systems.

For affected institutions, this was not simply a website inconvenience. Users suddenly found themselves unable to access mobile banking. Online banking was unavailable. Debit card transactions and bill payments were impacted. People could not see their balances, move money, make payments, or complete everyday transactions the way they normally would. In addition, because the core was also down, they lost access to their accounts at their physical branches. 

When branch and digital access disappears, people do what you would expect them to do. They call their financial institution for answers. All at once and in a panic. For many institutions, the resulting call volume quickly became overwhelming.

That is exactly the kind of scenario that demonstrates why having another communication channel is no longer simply a nice feature to offer your users. It is part of your institution's digital infrastructure and can really make a difference

When Everything Else Is Down, Your Users Still Need Answers.

Think about the situation from the user’s perspective. They open their banking app, and it does not work. They try online banking. Nothing. Their debit card may be declined. They go to their branch only to be told the system is down. 

They may not know whether the problem is with their account, their card, their financial institution, or something larger. Their first reaction is often concern. Their second reaction is to start looking for answers. They want to know what is going on and for how long.  They want to know what is going on and for how long. 

During a widespread outage, hundreds or even thousands of people may be doing that at exactly the same time.

Traditional phone support simply was not designed to handle every person calling simultaneously. Even the best contact center teams can only answer so many calls at once. 

That is where CHATCOMMANDER can become critical.

CHATCOMMANDER Became a Lifeline for Our Clients.

Several OMNICOMMANDER clients were among the financial institutions affected by the recent disruptions. Fortunately, many of those institutions already had CHATCOMMANDER.

More importantly, their live chat was being managed by their SUPPORT HEROES, the OMNICOMMANDER team.

While their internal teams navigated an extraordinarily difficult situation and phone lines were flooded with calls, another line of communication remained available to their navigated an extraordinarily difficult situation and phone lines were flooded with calls, another line of communication remained available to their users.

Our team was there to help answer questions, communicate available information, and provide another place for frustrated or concerned users to turn. That additional communication channel made a significant difference.

Instead of every person needing to pick up the phone, many could simply open the financial institution's website and start a conversation. One chat interaction may not seem significant during normal business operations. During a major outage, hundreds of those conversations can help relieve enormous pressure from an institution's staff.

Live Chat Is About More Than Convenience.

Live chat is often viewed as a customer service feature. We believe financial institutions should think about it differently. It is a communication channel.

When something unexpected happens, communication is important. Your mobile app may experience an outage. Your online banking provider may encounter an issue. Your financial institution’s core system could be down. Your financial institution’s core system could be down. A core conversion could experience complications. Card processing could be interrupted. A severe weather event could close branches. A fraud event could generate a sudden influx of questions. Whatever the situation, your members and customers are going to want information.

The question is whether your institution has enough channels available to provide it. A phone number alone may not be enough.

Your Website Can Become the Communication Hub.

There is another reason CHATCOMMANDER matters during situations like these. When banking technology experiences a disruption, your website may become one of the first places people go looking for answers.

That makes your website much more than a marketing tool. It becomes a digital branch, a communication center, and a resource.

With live chat available directly through the website, users do not have to search for a phone number, sit on hold, or repeatedly call back hoping to reach someone. They can connect directly from the place they are already visiting for information. That experience is expected, especially when people are already frustrated.

Protecting Trust During the Moments That Matter Most.

Financial institutions are built on trust. Members and customers trust you with their paycheck, their savings, their mortgage, their debit card, and their ability to pay bills and purchase groceries.

When access to those things is unexpectedly interrupted, anxiety can escalate quickly. Your institution may not always control when a third-party system experiences a problem. You can control how you communicate through it.

Silence creates uncertainty. Accessible communication creates reassurance. Even when the answer is simply, “We are aware of the issue, our teams are working on it, and here is what we know right now,” hearing from a real person can completely change the experience.

That is why communication should be part of every financial institution's business continuity conversation, not after an outage happens, but before it happens.

Ask Yourself: What Happens If Everyone Calls Tomorrow?

It is an uncomfortable question, but every financial institution should ask it. If your online banking and mobile banking suddenly became unavailable tomorrow morning, what would happen?

If debit cards were affected, how many people would call? Could your team answer them? How long would people sit on hold? Where else could they go for information? Would your employees be able to focus on resolving the problem while simultaneously responding to an enormous increase in questions?

Having multiple communication channels gives your institution options. During a crisis, options are critical.

CHATCOMMANDER Gives Your Institution Another Line of Communication.

CHATCOMMANDER was created to help financial institutions connect with the people they serve directly through their digital presence.

Situations like the recent outages demonstrate something even more important. CHATCOMMANDER is not only valuable when everything is working.

Its greatest value may become apparent when something isn't.

During a crisis, when phone lines are overwhelmed, your website can still be there. When people have questions, your chat team can still be there. When uncertainty is high, your institution can still communicate.

You cannot prevent every technology outage, but you can prepare for how you will respond when one happens.

Make CHATCOMMANDER part of your communication strategy before you need it most.

Schedule a CHATCOMMANDER demonstration and see how OMNICOMMANDER can help your financial institution create another reliable connection between your team and the people you serve.