Case Studies

MAKING THE GRADE WITH PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

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“Because we are a federal credit union, our ‘customers’ are actually member-owners that demand the highest level of service. Technology offers new, more convenient ways to deliver that high level of customer service. We’re committed to providing the most secure and efficient technology for our members to conduct their financial business.”
- Tom Kazinci, Director of Information Technology & Communications with Paragon Federal Credit Union

Paragon Federal Credit Union was founded by seven teachers who pooled $143 in 1936 as a way to “promote thrift to their fellow members and provide a convenient place where the membership could borrow money at a reasonable rate of interest.” While respecting its founders’ original vision, Paragon has grown into one of the largest credit unions in New Jersey, with more than 56,000 members and a portfolio of financial services that includes banking, insurance, financial planning and loans. Those financial products are available at little or no cost to members through bricks-and-mortar branches, ATMs, shared service centers and online access. Paragon’s one-on-one service is substantial: the company receives approximately 14,000 calls each month.

A Positive Move
Paragon’s relocation of its headquarters opened the door to upgrading their business communication system from one that had experienced several failures to a new system with improved reliability, scalability and cost-efficiency.

“Consultedge incorporates a project management
approach with all of our projects, which is a
discipline of organizing and managing resources in such a way that the resources deliver all of the work required to complete a project within defined
scope, time and cost constraints,” said Anthony Martucci, Consultedge’s Senior Project Manager. “Our approach produces a business communication solution that blends each component into a seamless system that delivers practical results for the client.

”Consultedge’s response to Paragon’s multiple requirements integrates Avaya technology including an S8700 Media Server, Communication Management System (CMS), Modular Messaging and Call Center Software. Each technology represents a key element in achieving Paragon’s goals of optimal customer service.
The cornerstone of the system is Avaya’s CMS, a robust technology platform that provides managers with the necessary tools to monitor, analyze and manage Paragon’s Telephone Account Access System, which allows members to handle transactions from any touch-tone phone. Sophisticated call management capabilities ensure that any call during the 8:00 am to 8:00 pm workday is received, accurately routed and documented for regular monitoring of service performance and efficiency. A powerful Internet Protocol communication system lets calls be placed and received from telephones or computers anywhere, virtually eliminating long-distance per-call charges. Modular Messaging enables a range of call answering and voice messaging capabilities, giving Paragon’s employees access to their messages any time and from any access device, including telephones, fax machines or PCs.

Consultedge’s communications solution addresses Paragon’s current and future needs. The standards-based technologies are easily scalable, allowing for cost-efficient expansion of the system as Paragon continues its rapid growth. Equally important, the communications platform supports widely used programming interfaces, ensuring that Paragon can implement new telephony applications from virtually any technology provider as its needs and branch locations change.

“We wanted a communications system that could grow with us, but that didn’t tie us to capacity and capabilities we don’t currently need,” said Kazinci. “Consultedge understood our needs and our constraints and provided a solution that helps us deliver the world class service our members expect.”

Paragon Federal Credit Union
100 Paragon Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0400
http://www.paragonfcu.org