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Tech investment pays off for RED
FourNet helps steer customer through challenging times.
Like all companies, RED Driver Training’s business was hit hard by Coronavirus. Learner drivers and Driving Instructors stayed at home under government guidelines and driving lessons ground to a halt apart from Key workers. Because of the drop in demand, the company furloughed all its contact centre agents and sought additional support and cost savings in order to help weather the storm.
Key Statistics
1
HQ in Billingham
90
Contact centre agents
12,000
handling in excess of 12k customer interactions
£600k
in payment transactions per week
Background
RED Driver Training is one of the largest driver training groups in the UK. It operates as a franchise business for Driving Instructors and also provides training for future Driving Instructors. It also provides Fleet Driver Training and Accountancy services that align to the industry. It’s 90 contact centre agents, based at headquarters in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, provide sales and service operations for all areas of the business including Driving Lesson Sales, Instructor Support, Franchise Recruitment, Fleet Driver Training Solutions and all aspects of customer service nationwide. The impact of the coronavirus lockdown and new social distancing measures saw RED Driver Training’s day-to-day business reduced instantly as the Government & DVSA shut down driving tests and the industry nationally.
Solution
RED Driver Training has made substantial investment in technology in recent years, installed and supported by FourNet. This roadmap of investment and change has helped it to weather the recent storm. Although its contact centre agents were furloughed, the company continued to operate its technology upgrade project through lockdown thanks to top tier Avaya video conferencing and virtual management facilities installed by FourNet. It was also able to reduce overheads after one of the company’s main suppliers, Gamma – a key FourNet business partner – agreed a 90% reduction in rental on its SIP trunks. FourNet also helped negotiate free use of Avaya licences for 90 days which would have enabled contact centre agents to work from home which will be evaluated by RED in the future as part of its technology development.
Benefits
Like many companies across the UK, we never expected that over the course of just a few days our business could be impacted so hard. The partnership we have formed with FourNet, and significant investment we have made in recent years, in our technology certainly paid off. We were able to shut down the business easily whilst continuing to operate key functions including critical technology projects (PCI compliance and deploying new Avaya call recording capabilities) through our virtual conference and management systems. We are grateful for the service provided by FourNet and its business partner Gamma in helping us to reduce our costs during the lockdown period.
Jon Sutcliffe
Sales & Service Operations Director, RED Driver Training
At FourNet, we pride ourselves on service, solutions, and innovation. As an important customer, we were keen to help as quickly as possible. Because of the investment made by RED in its technology, they were able to keep on track during lockdown. We are pleased to have played our part in keeping RED Driver Training on the road.
Mike Tongue
Account Director, FourNet
Video Case Study