Founded in 1976, Fiserv works closely with many of the bestknown technology vendors in the world, and has grown to incorporate businesses and offices nationwide. Fiserv is a Fortune 500 company that provides information management systems and services to the financial and insurance industries.
The Bomgar solution has enabled Fiserv staff to increase access to remote presence by more than 300%, of which 27% is revenue generating, and improve overall customer satisfaction.
Phil Demuth, VP, Head of Internal Systems, Fiserv
THE CHALLENGE
We had multiple pain points that led us to look for a new solution to replace WebEx. The first would be security. Many of our clients were coming to us saying, 'We need a more secure solution for you to take control of our workstations.'
Phil Demuth, VP, Head of Internal Systems, Fiserv
For 30 years, Fiserv, Inc. has provided technology solutions for the banking industry, where security is of paramount importance to the company’s bank clients and their customers.
Fiserv has 50-100 employees dedicated to providing remote support. Traditionally, the company used remote support tools for troubleshooting and customer support, but it was common for staff to spend up to to two weeks a month traveling to client sites to conduct training and install software.
“Our primary use for remote presence tools had always been for sales presentations and end-user support,” says Phil Demuth, Fiserv VP and Head of Internal Systems. “Then, several years back, Fiserv started offering limited ‘vTrips’ (virtual trips) to our clients for software upgrades. This new service was immediately accepted, and we soon recognized vTrips as an emerging service channel.”
For Fiserv’s new service offering to be most effective, they needed a solution that could “virtualize” the company’s staff, and ensure greater productivity. Further, since financial institutions operate in a deeply regulated environment, it was important for the solution to meet the stringent security and audit needs of both Fiserv and its clients.
Previously, Fiserv used a solution that required it to “pay by the drink.” Initially, this approach worked fine because the company was only using it for emergencies. As the use of clientless remote support expanded, costs became a greater consideration, due to the licensing structure.
We can bring the solution in-house and take control of the security ourselves.
Phil Demuth, VP, Head of Internal Systems, Fiserv
THE SOLUTION
The Bomgar solution enables companies to verify exactly who has been on the remote system and what actions they perform. These security features made the Bomgar solution very appealing to Fiserv. Additionally, Fiserv was impressed by Bomgar’s willingness to continue to develop and enhance the product for security and functionality.
After an extensive evaluation process, Fiserv selected Bomgar’s appliance-based remote support software as the foundation for its vTrips – a service designed to decrease the number of onsite client visits – eliminating the cost and productivity issues caused by travel. Using Bomgar, now Fiserv can easily install upgrades to its customers’ software, as well as provide user training and product support to its banking customers.
Bomgar’s onsite deployement also ensures Fiserv’s client data remains securely within the confines of the network. Additionally, Bomgar enables Fiserv to record and play back vTrip sessions, which provides insight into who is in control of the session at any given point, enhancing auditability.
Fiserv’s vTrips provide clients with immediate, on-demand service – even in less than ideal circumstances. For example, if end of the month business processes need to be completed and a client’s employee is out unexpectedly, or if a critical server has crashed and services provided by the bank are offline, Fiserv’s clients can call and get instant technical assistance with vTrips, which has significantly improved customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Finally, with vTrips, Fiserv can be sure its customers’ regulated business environment maintains continuity in the event of an emergency or disaster. By implementing vTrips and creating a remote failover site, Fiserv ensures that in the case of unforeseen disaster, the company can still conduct business with its clients. Fiserv employees can still perform all of the company’s software installation, configuration and consulting services, regardless of location.
“Our clients are obligated to their stakeholders and shareholders to detail disaster recovery and business continuity plans. IT systems performed by Fiserv’s employees are now available to clients at any time with the help of Bomgar,” Demuth says.
THE RESULTS
The Bomgar solution has enabled Fiserv staff to increase access to remote presence by more than 300%, of which 27% is revenue generating, and improve overall customer satisfaction.
Using Bomgar for its vTrips, Fiserv is now able to package virtual implementations and training. Clients can select a package that best suits their needs and budgets. Based on initial feedback, Fiserv’s clients are pleased, because they gain increased flexibility with regard to deployment timelines and realize savings associated with travel costs. “Prior to installing the Bomgar solution, deploying one of our banking solutions could require up to five visits to the client location, depending on the project,” Demuth says.
