124 / 499
Prepared for Springfield R-XII School District
42
3. Customer Service Representative (“CSR”) Call Center
a. Describe the CSR transaction processing capabilities.
VALIC also operates a national Client Care Center staffed with Client Service
Representatives (CSRs) who provide effective, efficient and reliable responses to client
requests and inquiries. Our CSRs use systems with intelligent call routing that integrates
telephone and computer technologies to put the most current account information at
their fingertips. Our CSRs are available to assist participants from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Central Time, Monday through Friday. Transactions and information available via a CSR
include all of the VRS transactions plus the following:
General account inquiries
Personal rate of return
Personal Identification Number (PIN) changes
Name changes, address changes, Social Security number changes and beneficiary
changes
Assistance with inquiries, research and action, if necessary
Literature/prospectus and form requests
E-mail delivery requests
Distribution requests
b. Describe the information available to CSRs to help them assist participants.
In addition to standard training practices, our CSRs are extensively trained on the
intricacies of each organization’s plan during a six- to eight-hour training session. All
CSRs are equipped with a desktop CRM outlining various facets of the plan and issues
that are important to the organization.
c. How are CSR transactions processed and documented?
All operator-assisted transactions are documented and quality reviewed through our
Automated Work Distribution (AWD) system. The participant must complete and confirm
the transaction for verification. Our management personnel continuously review the
AWD to ensure follow-up on all open transactions. They monitor a minimum of two calls
per week, per CSR in order to maintain the required performance standards.
d. Describe how confidential information is protected and secured in connection with
CSR assistance (e.g., PIN, audit trail, confirmations).
To secure the communications between the participant's personal computer and the online
server, VALIC utilizes a security protocol called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) that provides
communications privacy and authentication over the Internet. When a Web server is
configured for SSL transactions, it can encrypt data that passes between Web clients and
the server.