Modernizing Legacy Contact Centers: Jack Henry & Associates Journey to Cloud-Based Systems 

Jack Henry & Associates, a leading U.S. financial technology provider set out to modernize their contact centers. With Tricension’s expertise, they transitioned from an outdated, on-premise legacy system to the cloud with NICE CXone. This move enhanced agility, resulting in significant growth for the company.

About The Client 

Name: Jack Henry & Associates  

Location: Monett, Missouri, United States 

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech)

Founded: 1976 

Core Services: Digital Banking Services, Payment Solutions, Data & Hosting Services, Fraud Prevention & Security, Enterprise Solutions, Financial & Management Consulting. 

Jack Henry & Associates (JHA) is a powerhouse in U.S. financial technology, known for connecting people and financial institutions through insight-driven solutions that help reduce the barriers to financial health. 

With a legacy spanning over 47 years, they empower more than 7,500 community banks, credit unions, and financial organizations to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. 

As an S&P 500 company, Jack Henry is among the top publicly traded companies in the U.S., recognized for its financial strength and reliability. They consistently set the standards in financial services, offering robust capabilities in data processing, payments, and hosting solutions. 

Solving JHA’s Contact Center Challenges with TricensionOne 

This case study explores how our proprietary TricensionOne Methodology transformed Jack Henry & Associates’ contact center, delivering a cloud-based solution that enhanced efficiency & drove meaningful growth.

TricensionOne is our client-focused methodology that combines strategic consultation, agile development, and continuous support. Our approach ensures alignment with business goals, delivering impactful, sustainable outcomes.

Step 1: Assessing Current Limitations – Identifying Key Challenges

The journey began with a thorough consultation aimed at understanding JHA’s unique operational challenges. Using TricensionOne’s user-centric approach, we created in-depth user stories to map out the core pain points. 

Through our assessment we uncovered that while JHA’s legacy contact center had once fulfilled their needs, it was now becoming a liability as modern consumers demanded digital-first solutions. The limitations of their outdated on-premises system were impacting daily operations; stalling growth, and causing a decline in customer satisfaction. Some of their key challenges included:

Premise-Based System Overhead:

1. Operational Hurdles: Maintaining on-premises infrastructure was a costly and labor-intensive endeavor. JHA had to allocate substantial resources to hardware maintenance, upgrades, and IT staff dedicated to keeping the system operational, diverting attention and budget from more growth-focused initiatives.
   
2. Financial Strain: The high cost of maintaining an aging system eroded profit margins, and with limited flexibility, JHA found themselves trapped in a cycle of recurring expenses with diminishing returns.
   

Obsolete IVR Technology:

1. User Experience Limitations: The existing IVR system could only handle basic interactions; which meant longer call navigation times and customer frustration. Without the integration of modern AI capabilities, the system could not support predictive or context-aware interactions, resulting in increased call abandonment rates.
   
2. Service Gaps: Customers expecting modern, self-service options were met with outdated menus that did not cater to complex inquiries or provide efficient routing to the right agent.
   

Scalability Bottlenecks:

1. Inflexibility During High Demand: The on-premises system could not scale to accommodate sudden spikes in call volume, such as those experienced during financial reporting periods or crises. This led to extended wait times, reduced service quality, and customer dissatisfaction.
   
2. Operational Delays: Scaling required manual adjustments and physical infrastructure changes, a process that was neither quick nor seamless.
   

Security and Compliance Concerns:

1. Regulatory Pressure: Financial institutions face stringent compliance mandates, including PCI DSS and SOC2. JHA’s legacy system lacked the robust security controls needed to meet these standards, creating vulnerabilities and risking compliance failures.
   
2. Data Protection Challenges: Without advanced encryption and proactive threat detection, customer data was at risk, raising concerns about potential breaches and loss of trust.

Step 2: Solution Ideation: Making the Case for Cloud

Financial institutions, especially credit unions, have been slower to adopt cloud-based systems. However, with a clear understanding of JHA’s challenges, we knew a cloud-based solution was the only way forward. We created a tailored blueprint that detailed the benefits of this transition and outlined each project phase, showing how cloud migration would:

• Reduce operational overhead
• Enhance scalability and flexibility
• Integrate advanced AI capabilities 
• Reduce call abandonment rates 
• Strengthen security and compliance

To achieve the outlined benefits, a multi-faceted approach was required that addressed both the immediate and long-term needs of JHA’s operations. We proposed: 

Cloud Contact Services Powered by NICE CXone:

1. Modern Cloud Platform: We chose NICE CXone for its comprehensive cloud capabilities, including omnichannel support, real-time analytics, and AI-driven self-service tools. It would provide JHA with the agility to handle interactions across voice, chat, and digital platforms seamlessly.
   
2. Compliance and Security: NICE CXone’s compliance with industry standards (e.g., PCI DSS, SOC2, TCPA) provided the reassurance needed to meet regulatory requirements. The platform performs continuous security audits and intrusion detection measures to mitigate risks and ensure data protection.
   
3. Empowering Customers: NICE CXone’s AI self-service options would enable customers to resolve common queries without waiting for a live agent. Predictive routing would be used to direct complex inquiries to the most appropriate agents, improving first-contact resolution rates.
   
4. Real-Time Insights: The platform’s analytics offer a granular view of contact center performance, empowering managers to make data-driven decisions and continuously optimize service delivery.
   

Custom Proxy Development with Symitar SymXchange:

1. ‍Overcoming Legacy Limitations: To bridge the gap between NICE CXone and JHA’s existing systems, Tricension proposed a custom proxy component. This lightweight middleware would enable secure data exchange between the new cloud platform and Symitar’s SymXchange SOAP services.
   

1. Flexible Integration Framework: Symitar SymXchange offered an open framework that would allow JHA to connect their core processing system with modern applications without disrupting ongoing operations. This integration would reduce technical debt and provide a streamlined data flow critical for operational efficiency.
   

Phased Implementation Strategy:

1. Smooth Transition: Tricension proposed a phased rollout, beginning with pilot testing to iron out integration issues before full deployment. Our approach would ensure minimal disruption and allow JHA to maintain service levels throughout the transition.
   
2. Staff Training: We offered comprehensive training programs to prepare contact center agents to maximize the benefits of the new system.

Step 3: Design and Prototyping

Following stakeholder approval of the solution blueprint, Tricension moved into the design and prototyping phase. Interactive demonstrations of the new contact center platform were created which provided JHA with a tangible preview of what to expect. We prioritized continuous feedback, ensuring that the solution aligned with JHA’s expectations and vision.

Step 4: Agile Development and Seamless Deployment

As the project moved forward in to iterative stages, each phase was rigorously tested to ensure that functionality and quality met JHA’s standards. 

The deployment was conducted with thorough user acceptance testing (UAT) and comprehensive training sessions, preparing JHA’s team for a seamless transition. Tricension emphasized clear communication and detailed documentation, ensuring that JHA had everything needed for post-launch success.

Step 5: Ongoing Support and Optimization

Tricension’s commitment did not end with deployment. Leveraging advanced monitoring tools, JHA’s new cloud-based system was continuously observed for performance and reliability. Regular updates and optimizations allowed the solution to evolve in tandem with JHA’s business needs and external technological advancements.

Key Outcomes

• Reduced average call handling times by 30% 
• Reduced operational costs by 25%. 
• Cut down wait times by 40% during peak periods. 

Challenges Faced During Implementation

The journey to cloud adoption was not without it’s challenges. During this contact center integration project we encountered some difficulties, but with years of experience and a problem-solving attitude, our team was able to move past any obstacles. 

• Data Migration Complexities: Transferring data from the legacy system to the cloud required meticulous planning and robust data security protocols. Tricension employed secure ETL processes with end-to-end encryption to ensure data integrity.
  
• Skill Gaps: Transitioning to a cloud-based platform highlighted the need for upskilling within JHA’s IT department. Tricension supplemented this with targeted training and ongoing support to bridge any skill gaps.
  
• Change Management: Adapting to new workflows required buy-in from staff. Change management strategies, including hands-on training sessions and open feedback loops, helped mitigate resistance and fostered a culture of adaptability.