Stevie® Awards Selects Two Finalists from Assurant Solutions in Customer Service Category

ATLANTA, Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Specialty risk management company Assurant Solutions received two finalist nominations in the fifth annual Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The company was nominated in the "Innovation in Customer Service" category for the analytics-based contact routing technology known as RAMP (Real Time Analytics Matching Platform). Assurant Solutions Vice President Cameron Hurst drove the joint venture contract with IBM and directed the day-to-day activities of over 20 developers, analysts, testers and project managers to bring this innovative system to market. Mark Davis, vice president, Contact Center Operations for Assurant Solutions was also selected as a finalist in the "Customer Service Leader of the Year" category. More than 800 entries from organizations of all sizes spanning virtually every industry were submitted for this year's Stevie Awards, which are recognized as the world's premier business awards for sales, contact center and customer service professionals.

"At Assurant Solutions, we strive to perform as an extension of our client's business," said Craig Lemasters, CEO, Assurant Solutions. "We're honored to have been selected as finalists for two Stevie Awards this year.  I believe this honor speaks to our commitment to delivering a positive customer experience that reflects well on our client partners, as well as our commitment to providing a great place to work."

This is the company's first time as a finalist for the "Innovation in Customer Service" category.

"Some of the most ingenious inventions don't come out of the technology companies – they originate from organizations like Assurant that have a problem to solve and the unique talent to solve it," said nominee Cameron Hurst.

The innovative RAMP process finds a "perfect match" between the customer and the representative, allowing callers to be held in queue while waiting for the optimal agent to finish up their current call. In the first year of operation, RAMP more than doubled Assurant Solutions' saved fees and dropped agent attrition by 25 percent. More impressively, customer requests to be put on the Do Not Call Registry dropped 20 percent.

Mark Davis of Assurant Solutions has been nominated as Customer Service Leader of the Year.

"Because starting a new job can be difficult, we implemented a program called SHOE (Successfully Helping Others Engage) at our Lawton center," said Mark.  "The program is designed to assist new employees in the transition from training to the call floor. The SHOE program partners new employees with experienced ones, helping them to engage more quickly and more successfully with their team and their customers. It’s this kind of outreach to call center employees that helps create a positive attitude that ultimately creates a great customer experience."

Winners of the 2011 Stevie Awards will be announced at a gala event on Feb. 21 in Miami Beach.

About Assurant Solutions (NYSE: AIZ)

Assurant Solutions businesses develop, underwrite, market and administer specialty insurance, extended service contracts and other risk management solutions through collaborative relationships with leading financial institutions, retailers, automobile dealers, funeral homes, manufacturers, wireless carriers and other entities. With operations in 25 locations, including executive offices in Atlanta, Ga., Assurant Solutions serves clients and their customers in 12 countries throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia.  www.assurantsolutions.com

Assurant Solutions is part of Assurant, a premier provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and select worldwide markets. Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ. Assurant has over $27 billion in assets and $8 billion in annual revenue. www.assurant.com

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.

SOURCE Assurant Solutions