The phone upgrade to digital should benefit both members and administrator. It will allow IBM to not only record all contact, but to quickly translate that contact into accessible information for all call centre operators about each member’s account. From a technology point of view, IBM’s first move with the Watson Wyatt funds was to provide a new web browser interface or portal which allows operators to conduct most transactions from one computer screen. Previously, they may have had to navigate up to nine screens for a transaction.

The underlying system for most Watson Wyatt clients is the former proprietorial WyBen system, which was taken over by IBM. The other underly­ing system, which clients such as Av­Super migrated directly to, is Bravura’s ‘Superb’. “We built our portal so that it was independent of any single system,” Morgan said. “We gain extra efficiencies by being able to wrap our portal around any system.”

IBM is also introducing a ‘second-generation’ imaging system which caters for re-engineered forms such that hand-written information can be read digitally, not just through taking photocopies of the information. Colman said that IBM was also able to put in place fairly quickly the processes so that Watson Wyatt admin clients could adhere to the international standard – ISO 9001:2000 – which is a global standard that the consulting firm has implemented through its other practices of benefits and processing around the world.