Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/716514
SAGAFTRA.org | Summer 2016 | SAG-AFTRA 21 who could be of assistance. "It's a beautiful thing," said Gabrielle Carteris, SAG-AFTRA president. "This is the start of a new era in our union's ability to serve its membership." The national Contact Center has long been a priority for SAG-AFTRA's leadership, in part, because having questions answered by phone is crucial for members. Some two-thirds of those in New York and Los Angeles picked it as their top communication preference in SAG-AFTRA's recent technology survey. Those in other locals prefer email, which is also a Contact Center option. For the past three months, National Executive Director David White has been overseeing the finishing touches on the Contact Center, which was designed to accommodate all members' communication needs. He's pressed that goal at all-staff meetings as the operational structure of the center, which is split between New York and Los Angeles, was finalized. In December, SAG-AFTRA hired Morgan Tennant to serve as national director of customer service. She directs 15 representatives — eight in Los Angeles and seven in New York. During training over the past few months, they've started at 7:30 a.m., watching each other attempt to handle different high-pressure situations. White praised their dedication when the Contact Center was officially unveiled June 2 at a ribbon-cutting event at SAG-AFTRA Plaza in Los Angeles. He noted that operators had already handled a heavy call volume since the center had opened in a soft launch two weeks prior and that more than 97 percent of members were satisfied with the service they received. "That is exactly what we want," said White. "This is a significant piece of the puzzle for us to actually be the union that we know we can be." Having 15 dedicated staff in the Contact Center will allow other staff to be more responsive to members' needs, White added. "That means the Membership Department isn't taking those calls, so they are now working on other high-priority projects. "That means residuals is not taking those calls and that means the Los Angeles Local isn't taking those calls. And that means all of our staff is able to be more efficient on things that have been sitting on [their desks] because our Contact Center is, in an informed, trained manner, handling all that." The June 2 ribbon-cutting was an emotional moment for White. "I don't think that there is anyone who has been a part of this organization for the last three months who is not aware how important this is for me," he said. "Because this union, SAG-AFTRA, exists for one thing and that is for our membership. It exists to engage, support and serve our members, and that's it. "We had a great big hole in our ability to do that and the Contact Center fills that hole. For me, this is not just a Contact Center. This is a member-care contact center," he said. "This was a true partnership and collaboration across the organization. I am very excited to help kick off this new resource for our members," said Chief Financial Officer Arianna Ozzanto. Meanwhile, White said the center will soon expand in scope, from handling simpler membership, residuals and cashiering inquiries to answering contract questions, which will be more complex and require a deeper base of knowledge. The goal is to have immediate information at all levels. That will translate into improved service to members and a better, more responsive union overall. "You can't stop this union from its own greatness," he said. The SAG-AFTRA Contact Center Is Live The Contact Center team is trained to answer your questions or get you in touch with someone who can. Extended hours of service are: Monday through Friday 6 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pacific Time 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Visit SAGAFTRA.org or call toll free, (855) SAG-AFTRA / (855) 724-2387. SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon and New York Local President Mike Hodge join the Contact Center's New York staff in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. More than satisfaction rate.* On average, more than 750 calls, emails & web chats per day of those contacts receive a response in 30 seconds or less Average handling time * Among survey respondents 97%