StepChange.

The solution.

The trust and confidence StepChange developed by working with Connect in the initial phase made the decision to continue with the managed services provider an easy one.

Connect really helped our thinking in this phase through multiple face-to-face meetings and on-site strategy sessions, which served to ratify our thinking regarding our long-term vision and expanded the scope of the short-term tactical initiatives we planned to roll out in phase two,

adds Lovell.

In this phase, the team shifted to an agile methodology, leveraging a minimum viable product (MVP) approach that focused on implementing digital channels that added the most value, rather than a big bang approach that invested in areas that offered a lower return on investment.

“Since we implemented the Genesys Cloud Solution, we’ve experienced how quick and easy it is to update and integrate new functionality,” elaborates Lovell.

“This was a major challenge before, with even simple IVR updates often taking months to implement.”

The accelerated time to value means all stakeholders have now experienced the speed of change offered from the new model and have bought into it.

To streamline delivery, the StepChange and Connect set up a dedicated CX Value Stream, with agile teams working alongside frontline colleagues to improve journeys based on real feedback and data.

“This approach is supported by a growing level of internal expertise as more colleagues now have the skills to manage and adapt the platform, which means changes can happen faster and with greater confidence,” continues Lovell.

These changes include the introduction of IVR-triggered SMS journeys, which allows clients to move from voice to digital self-service during a call. This not only reduced friction but also drove an increase in clients choosing digital channels, with higher registration completion rates.

“This orchestration ensures that vulnerable clients – often in urgent financial distress – can access the right support faster, with less effort and greater confidence,” explains Lovell.

This change also had a significant impact on operational performance metrics, reducing wait times and pressure on phone lines, while freeing up advisor capacity for more complex needs.

The adoption of Agent CoPilot now provides advisors with real-time knowledge, automated call summaries and suggested wrap codes, ensuring advisors begin interactions with more insight and less manual effort, supporting more confident and empathetic conversations,”

elaborates Lovell.

Other impactful capabilities implemented included text-to-speech IVR, which allows same-day updates without technical dependencies, which helps the team respond faster to emerging needs and improve the caller experience without delay.

In addition, skills-based routing ensures people are matched with the advisor best equipped to handle and resolve the interaction as quickly as possible, improving both efficiency and care.

From a management perspective, integrated WFM has given advisors live access to schedules, quality monitoring and performance dashboards, which support more consistent coaching, schedule transparency, and feedback across teams.

Real-time dashboards and daily management information (MI) provide greater visibility across all roles.

Furthermore, flow outcomes, milestones, participant data, and wrap code insights all feed into an optimisation loop that helps identify friction points and test changes more effectively to support continual improvement.

“In this phase of the project, it is not a case of launching technology and stepping back. We now test and refine improvements in weekly cycles. Each improvement is grounded in evidence and focused on removing barriers, making the service more responsive and less reliant on one-off projects,” explains Lovell.

In parallel, the organisation is also transforming its inbound, outbound and self-service journeys with:

• Web Messaging and WhatsApp: Created modern, asynchronous channels that reduce client anxiety and improve accessibility.
• Virtual Assistants: Now supporting around 1,700 sessions per week at peak, helping clients self-serve at any time of day.
• Integrated Email: Migrated all correspondence into Genesys workflows, replacing fragmented Outlook-based handling and enabling consistent routing and visibility.
• IVR and SMS Journeys: SMS-to-online pathways have redirected over 25,000 clients from voice queues to digital self-service and delivered a 60% increase in digital registration completions.
• Payment Self-Service: 25% of payment-related calls are now fully automated.