Webinar Companion Training: A Blended Approach

Transcription

1 Webinar Companion Training: A Blended Approach CUNA HR/TD Excellence Award Entry MOUNTAIN AMERICA CREDIT UNION January 21, 2015 Authored by: Kimberly Boettcher

2 Webinar Companion Training: A Blended Approach CUNA HR/TD Excellence Award Entry Developing Operational Skills in Branch Staff In the past five years, Mountain America has experienced significant growth as a credit union, increasing from 65 to 82 operating branches. As our branch network has increased, we have recognize a need to incorpoprate more online, virtual and webinar training. And as we include more self directed learning into our curiculum, it is important we develop not only operational skills but also employee accountability. In March 2014, we launched a new check processing system called the Interactive Teller Capture Client (ITC). We installed new software and hardware in all our branches. First, we had to determine the best approach to train aproximately 700 branch employees in a three month time frame. When we launched new systems in the past, we traveled to each branch to train the new software. In this scenario, trainers were required to travel to nearly one branch per day, with travel expenses costing thousands of dollars. Webinar Companion Training: A Blended Approach 1/21/2015 To reduce travel expenses, we decided to facilitate the ITC training via webinar. Utilizing our elearning software, we created an online prework course. The employees were required to complete the prework training prior to a live, one hour webinar with a trainer. We also created a quick reference guide (see Exhibit 1 ITC Reference Sheet), that walked the trainee through the steps of scanning a check. Finally, we created a troubleshooting guide (see Exhibit 2 ITC Troubleshooting Guide) to help the participants identify mistakes and correct errors all focused on developing the branch staff s operational skills. Training Roadblocks After a few weeks of training, we assessed how the training was progressing. All branch employees attended the webinar together, huddled around one computer. Although this approach allowed us to decrease travel expenses, it also created three new problems: 1. Visual acuity was compromised. Most branches are designed with one administrative room and one computer for webinars. An average of nine branch employees were required to view the webinar at the same time on this lone computer. Employees who were not close enough to see the computer screen lost interest in the training. 2. Employees had minimal hands on practice. We prepared four transactions for demonstration during the webinar. Control of the webinar presentation was given to a branch employee who was guided through the process. With each new transaction, a different employee rotated to the computer to practice. With time for only four 1

3 transactions, employees had experience with only one transaction type, and most employees did not have a chance to practice keying a transaction at all. 3. Employees did not retain much of what they observed. Due to the loss of interest and because many were unable to participate, the employees did not retain the information. When they went live on the new check scanners, they didn t remember what to do. Employees needed to have practical application before they began using the system live. An Innovative Solution After assessing the situation, we created an online simulation course (preview the ITC Webinar Companion course at Utilizing the advancements in elearning software and the enhanced skills of our in house elearning specialists, the training course simulated a variety of troubleshooting issues employees have encountered with the new system. But that s not the most innovative part we used this course simultaneously with the webinar! (Hence the title: Webinar Companion course.) We began the webinar with a review of their prework and then instructed the employees to complete the companion course on our online university. The trainer remained available on the phone line for questions and answers. Instead of giving one employee control of the screen during a webinar to practice, we gave everyone an opportunity to participate in the simulation at the same time. This approach provided 45 minutes of hands on practice for each employee a result we could not achieve in our previous webinars. We also simulated troubleshooting errors in a controlled environment, resulting in the same expected outcome every time! With this approach, we were able to track who completed the course and who did not. In this way, were were able to promote personal accountability for the training among all the employees. Accomplishments 1. Reduced errors Branches that completed the training, without the ITC Webinar Companion course, made an average of 3.05 errors on the check adjustment report per month. Branches that completed the training with the Webinar Companion course made an average of 2.01 errors per month. Branches utilizing the companion course made 34.09% fewer errors. 2. Increased ROA On average, branches utilizing the Webinar Companion course saw a 65.88% reduction in check adjustment fees. In this way, the Webinar Companion course contributed to Mountain America s ROA of 1.76% (a 24% increase since May). Transforming the Initiative into a Best Practice As Mountain America continues to grow, the need for virtual training will increase. To further the development of our branch staff, this training process will be duplicated for other virtual classroom settings. In addition a similar webinar companion course for our virtual New Accounts training will be created. Currently in this webinar class, control of the screen is shared, and the participants take turns opening a new account. With a webinar companion course, all the participants will have the ability to practice for the full 70 minutes of training. Using the same percentages from the ITC Webinar Companion, we can potentially avoid more than 75 incorrectly opened trust accounts per Webinar Companion Training: A Blended Approach 1/21/2015 2

4 year and more than 300 incorrectly opened business accounts. That would eliminate 375 possibilities for NCUA audit penalties. The more hands on experience we can give the trainee, the more we are able to enhance their operational development. Webinar Companion Training: A Blended Approach 1/21/2015 3

5 ITC REFERENCE SHEET ITC DPC DSC Interactive Teller Client Document Processing Client - Program used for scanning - Command center. Program used checks. Open along with Symitar. to fix balancing and Image Quality issues. Also used to research checks. ITC Step-by-step 1. Process transaction in Symitar like normal (KR SD) 2. ITC window will display. Scanner will make a click sound 3. Load checks all together facing right 4. Checks will automatically feed through scanner 5. Fix any errors that appear (codeline, rescan, etc.) 6. Make sure the amount is correct 7. Click Save & Next to review next check 8. Click Accept in top right of window after done reviewing 9. Place appropriate holds. Click OK 10. Post transaction in Symitar Document Scanning Client - Used for rescans requested by Accounting STATUS RESEARCH Good ITC does not require further action Codeline MICR repair, fix any discrepancies Rescan Click F5 or the Rescan button Duplicate ITC is warning you the check has already been scanned Alert Possible fraud item (not currently used) Open DPC Click on the Processing tab Click Research on the bottom Allows you to filter by: date, location, user, account # Click OK Pulls up check image NOTES:

6 HOLDS Recap of checks will display Review the checks Click Finish Place Hold Select Check(s) Select Hold Reason Item Capture Recap hold screen will display if total deposit reaches account threshold for check holds Place appropriate holds Click Finish BALANCING Close your bundle every 30 minutes Click on Teller Totals (Same as cash balancing) Click icon on far right, ITC Totals Click OK Host (Symitar) will populate with updated totals Click Preview to view totals Copy and past the total to the Checks Received field in Symitar TIPS: NOTES: BZ is a new transaction code for bulk deposits. Enter BK as normal in Symitar. After you post the transaction, go back into the account and enter BZ to reconcile the bulk deposit. Remember to document your cash! You will be out of balance if you forget to document your cash.

7 ITC Troubleshooting REFERENCE GUIDE

8 MANAGING DUPLICATE CHECKS TIPS: If it is necessary to delete the duplicate, simply click delete in the bottom right to delete the duplicate check, then accept to accept the original check. Then click ok. Since you are deleting a transaction you have to balance this bundle as your transaction count will be off. Situations where it is okay to accept a duplicate check include: NSF checks, rescans requested by accounting, Zion s starter checks. Scenario: a teller scans a check. A duplicate warning populates. Do: research the check, click Save & Next to accept it. The warning will change to green after you select Yes. However, DPC will not be satisfied. When balancing your checks in Symitar, the warning Fix Duplicate in DPC will appear. This warning lets you know you must go into DPC to further review and accept the check. Step-by-step for reviewing duplicates 1. Open DPC 2. Click on the Processing tab 3. Click on Image Entry Repair 4. Double-click on the transaction NOTES: 5. Select Accept or Delete upon further review 6. Go back into ITC and click Refresh to rebalance your checks 1

9 TIPS: Voiding a transaction in Symitar will delete the check in ITC as long as you are not currently modifying that transaction in DPC. STACKED TRANSACTIONS Scenario: An MSR entered KR into the transaction code prompt. During the check scanning the member says, I have another check in my pocket. Do: while still in ITC, click Scan More to accept more checks. Do: if checks have already been scanned, post the transaction first then go back into the account and type another KR SD. Do not: enter another KR into the second Transaction code box prior to posting the first check. Symitar will view this transaction as one transaction and ITC will see it as 2 transactions. Thus, the MSR is not going to balance because there will be a variance. If this happens then you will see this pop-up box. ITC will show a variance when balancing. Also, the state of the bundle will read balancing. NOTES: ITC and Symitar are having a disagreement in transactions. ITC thinks that two transactions have gone through even though we really had one posted in Symitar. We have to go in and manually enter in the correct totals in order to balance ITC. Steps for correcting this are on the following page. 2

10 MAINTAINING THE CHECK SCANNER TIPS: It is recommended that the scanner be cleaned weekly Occasionally the check scanner will need to be cleaned. An unclean scanner will cause more checks to jam. When scanning checks, the scanner may pull more than one check at the same time. Or, the scanner may pull multiple checks through the scanner at once. This is called a double-document pull. The scanner will come to a halt in this instance. Check Scanner Jam step-by-step 1. Holding the button on top of the scanner will cycle everything through the track 2. Verify if the check did or did not scan to avoid having duplicates DID YOU KNOW? You should Burp the scanner. To do this turn the scanner upside down and gently pat the bottom to dislodge any debris. Use the canned air to clear dust away Run a waffle card through the scanner to pick up any remaining particles 3. If clearing does not work, then remove the hood from the scanner, pull out the checks, replace hood NOTES: 3