Rent-to-own News - "Modernization", upgrades key to High Touch success

Key software enhancements, streamlined communication tools and an overall move to modernize systems are just a few improvements High Touch officials shared with clients Thursday morning during the general session of the company's users conference in Wichita, Kansas.

Over 70 rent-to-own and other industry professionals packed conference rooms at the Hyatt Regency Hotel to hear opening comments from High Touch President, CEO Wayne Chambers, who told attendees the new improvements would position High Touch and its clients for a marketplace built around speed.

High Touch President Wayne Chambers addresses conference attendees.

"We have to look at customer relationships," Chambers said. "Modernization is a huge key for us because we have to get things to you faster. We are committed to investing in these online services, vertical business solutions, client communications and employee development programs...to help our programs work a little bit harder for you." (Click to hear podcast with Wayne Chambers)

Chambers noted the company's addition over the last two years of new client support services, account service managers, and programmers have raised the number of High Touch employees from 87 to 108.

The new staffing, Chambers said, has helped contribute to the 572 system updates over that time period and some 48 in-place or planned enhancement features, many of which conference goers will learn more about in trainings through the conclusion of the conference May 9.

High Touch Vice President of software Dave Glover -- a High Touch co-founder -- said the need for increased Internet capabilities, robust communication features, an improved user interface and online training capabilities were fundamental goals of the company's modernization campaign.

Conference attendee Rose Simon of ColorTyme.

The multi-million effort marks the largest and most complex project High Touch has ever undertaken, he said.

"This is the beginning of a new day for the High Touch system," Glover said. "Although the technology has served us well, we are to the point we feel the need to change to meet long term needs and find a solution that will not require re-engineering down the road.

The impact of the engineering facelift -- which will be fully in place in three to five years -- will be felt by clients incrementally, Glover said, as the company as the company makes improvements over time. The incremental modernization of High Touch software will occur alongside routine enhancements suggested by clients and regularly addressed by the company.

The improvements would not interfere with current technology services, he said.

"Our focus, first and foremost is on the core RTO functions and related services," Glover said. "We intend to deliver value to you along the way, so you won't have to wait years to see the results."

Jeff Lucas, director of client services for High Touch, addressed improvements to client information Internet services which will feature software enhancements, e-mail support, High Touch Online News and webcasts.

Conference attendees at the general session.

Additionally, a new automated call distribution system will feature a menu based on  a skills based routing system so that clients will be directed to most appropriate High Touch staff member to address their issues.

Conference attendees then attended some 24 offered training sessions on topics ranging from "network security" to "online credit card payments" to workshops on new software enhancements such as the "lifetime reinstatement" and tire and "wheel features".

Rose Simon of CTME, CTFLO, a payroll accountant for 18 ColorTyme stores in Maine and Florida said the improvements High Touch is proposing are right on target.

"It looks like they're going the right way in putting those options out there for us," Simon said. "Getting more info out on the Internet would be very helpful."

After attending a session on "remote store backups",  Simon said she would be pushing hard to add the feature to the stores she manages. After experiencing a store crash recently, with no backup, Simon said the feature was one her company couldn't afford not to have.

"We could have had that store up and running in a couple of days instead of a couple of weeks," she said.

Conference attendees will visit the Wichita Museum of World Treasures tonight with admission and tour courtesy of APRO. Cocktails and dinner sponsored by Seneca Data and Okidata respectively.

The conference concludes May 9.

Click here for the APRO photo gallery of the High Touch Users Conference.

mevans@rtohq.org