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Soo Co-op needed a simple solution to allow tellers and other employees to quickly locate each other. Even if a teller could not help a customer, they wanted to at least let the customer know when to expect an answer. That way, the customer could choose whether to call back, wait for a phone call, or return to the bank.

To seek out a solution, Causley searched online. Her search resulted in connecting with Savance, a network and software provider that offers solutions to automate business functions. Causley was interested in Savance Electronic In Out Board (EIOBoard), a software package that allows users to share their in-office status with everyone at the company. The co-op also found the private instant messaging feature particularly interesting, as it would save the tellers from having to pick up the phone when they needed a quick answer from a manager or loan officer. Once implemented, this feature quickly became a favorite for Soo Co-op employees.

Solution & Implementation:

Soo Co-op chose EIOBoard’s online browser interface to access the Savance system. With the browser interface, there is no software to install as all data resides on Savance’s server. Users can log in to EIOBoard from any computer or mobile device connected to the Internet. Soo Co-op employees can quickly look at the employee status board to find another member of staff. If they see that the person in question is out of the office, they can send text message to his or her phone. The text messaging feature saves emails and phone calls that have to wait until the employee gets back to their desk.

Soo Co-op also uses the Outlook-based in/out board interface, which interfaces with Microsoft Outlook so users can change their status while checking their email. Not all employees use the Outlook Add-in, as it is most useful for those that work at a desk. Causley estimates that approximately half of Soo Co-op’s users access the EIOBoard with Outlook. “Tellers move from station to station, so the browser application is more convenient for them,” she explains.

Because Soo Co-op had minimal software to install, implementing Savance EIOBoard was a straightforward task of setting up each user with sign-in information. The biggest problem was that some were using the Outlook interface while others were using the Browser interface, and, at the time, these did not have the same functionality. Specifically, the private Instant Messaging was not available for the browser interface. Since then, however, Savance has upgraded the browser so that all employees at Soo Co-op can communicate with each other using IM.

Results & Benefits:

Since implementing the Savance Electronic In Out Board for staff tracking, Soo Co-op has seen noticeable improvements in their daily communication and efficiency. “It’s really handy now that we can get a hold of people with the chat feature,” explains Causley. “The tellers can now send a quick note using the EIOBoard to another employee, which is especially convenient when a customer is standing in front of them waiting for an answer.”

With seven branches, employees no longer have to pick up the phone to find out if someone is available. Instead, they can check the EIOBoard status board before calling. Additionally, Savance EIOBoard has increased the number of available communication options. “Managers are thankful not to have to depend on email as much,” says Causley. With EIOBoard, everyone is more productive, enabling quick questions to be answered without having to go through email messages, which can waste time. “Now our branch employees can work in a more efficient way,” Causley says.