Sanctions, Embargo, Suspicious transactions, PPE... How to ensure the success of an AML/CFT project?
For a few months now, not a day goes by without hearing the words sanctions, embargo, seizure of assets. Faced with an increase in alerts generated by surveillance tools and regulatory pressure, how can the success of an AML/CFT compliance project or clearance of a stock of alerts be ensured?
European regulators and governments are increasing the pressure on regulated companies, which must, on the one hand, manage the increase in alerts generated by surveillance tools, and, on the other hand, review and update their AML/CFT control process. They are confronted with stocks that must be cleared quickly to ensure (and reassure the regulator) that their customers are not registered on sanctions lists or do not engage in transactions that represent violations of the compliance rules in place. These operations are complex and often involve more investigation than simple control.
More than a simple verification – mobilized teams are required to contact customers, gather evidence, compile a complete investigation file, draft, and if necessary, pre-declarations of suspicions to FIUs (Financial Intelligence Units) and, finally, carry out precise reporting to the services concerned. These projects require an established – team of dedicated experts to manage the stock of alerts in the allotted time.
Although outsourcing the processing of AML/CFT alerts by an experienced player is one of the solutions recommended to meet these challenges, it is not that simple. Webhelp has extensive experience in outsourcing these high added-value projects, and has for many years developed strong convictions in key success factors.
Nicolas Dambrine, Deputy General Manager of Webhelp KYC Services, reveals the 5 key factors for the success of an alert eradication project:
1 – Immersion – a prerequisite for getting the project off to a good start
First, let’s look at the start-up phase. This is where it all comes together! The most crucial element of this phase is commitment: commitment of the service provider with the client, but also the commitment of the client with the service provider. It is essential to go to the customer, become familiar with their internal rules, absorb their knowledge and finally, validate with them the procedures to be carried out. Similarly, it is important that the client pays a visit to the provider; to plan and meet the operational teams, but also to pass on their knowledge and objectives on the project directly.
2 – Good indicators – for fine management
In parallel with this phase, it is vital to lay the foundations for reporting from the outset, taking into account the objectives of the project – productivity, quality, budget, compliance – or all four! Each of these objectives must be measured by precise indicators and managed – from the start of the project. This will make it possible to immediately examine the indicators and validate the theories made during the development phase. Moreover, in case of large volumes, having a powerful and well-configured reporting tool is not an option!
3 – The management team – true conductor of the project
The management team is a key factor on two levels. Firstly, the project manager who will be the link between the customer and the production teams. They must be senior enough, dedicated to the project and have a thorough knowledge of regulatory topics. Secondly, the production team leaders. They are the operational relay of the project manager and are responsible for motivating the advisors – who process the alerts and ensure a first level of control. It’s the famous random picking of processed files, which, thanks to the methodical application of a rigorous quality grid, should make it possible to detect any errors that may have been made. Generally, we recommend a ratio of 20% management in the start-up phase, and gradually decrease to 10% at the end of the project.
4 – Motivation – to ensure the success of the project
The project is launched, the management team is in place, the indicators and objectives have been defined – now it’s time to manage production! The first point that contributes to the success of the operation is to make sense of it. This may be true for all projects, but it is even more significant in the case of AML/CFT.
This starts with initial training and ongoing coaching, but motivation is also an important part of the success of the project. In fact, we found on a recent project that incentives had nearly doubled productivity within weeks! This was following a drop in the team’s motivation after a few months of operation, and indicators that tended towards red, we had to react. We decided to set up a challenge with big rewards – meeting and exceeding objectives would earn employees significant prizes. We saw an increase in productivity almost immediately, and the atmosphere of the production platform changed dramatically!
5 – Flexibility and adaptation – to achieve objectives
This brings us to being flexible which is essential and must be applied throughout the project. Here again, past experience shows us that constant questioning, adapting to the results obtained from week to week, as well as to external elements, are all key factors for success.
Test, measure the impact, implement, test again, modify. We are convinced that the processes must be regularly reviewed, challenged and improved in order to always be in line with the customer’s objectives. It’s a good practice that should be applied more widely.
Alert processing projects are complex but also energy-consuming, both in terms of time and in terms of human and technical resources. By deploying a team of experts with proven know-how and entirely dedicated to the client’s project, outsourcing makes it possible to meet the challenges posed by AML/CFT procedures within tight deadlines. Commitment, management, supervision, motivation, flexibility, and more importantly, people, are the guarantors of the success of an AML/CFT alert processing project.
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Could a proper KYC strategy have prevented ‘The Tinder Swindler’?
‘The Tinder Swindler’, true crime documentary recently released on Netflix which highlights the rising importance of identity verification, and on a broader level, fraud prevention. Could a KYC procedure avoid this kind of situation? We have asked Guillaume Casterman, Director International Projects & Knowledge at Webhelp KYC Services for their take on it.
First, let’s start with a brief reminder on KYC (Know Your Customer). These processes are intended to validate individual user identity information through data collection and analysis. They are a regulatory requirement for many businesses, mostly in the financial and regulated sectors to tackle money laundering and fraud operations. KYC procedures are applied to a broader spectrum of businesses such as car rental, crypto transactions, online registries and many more, so why not dating apps? The recent Netflix documentary, ‘The Tinder Swindler’, showcases how easy it is for someone to fake their identity online, to manipulate and catfish innocent people. Shimon Hayut, an Israeli fraudster and convicted criminal, pretends to be a billionaire businessman named Simon Leviev. Through this fake identity, he seduces vulnerable women via dating apps and convinces them he is in danger and needs large amounts of money.
Could a KYC strategy have prevented ‘The Tinder Swindler’ from scamming innocent women worldwide? Well, it could have made it harder at least.
How? The first thing to consider is that the various loans and credit cards were not in his name, and have not been contracted through identity theft. This makes it hard to prevent. But then there are two types of money lending: direct from his victims’ savings, and through loans and credit cards that his victims contract in their name. What could have raised the alarms? Opening a large number of relatively small credits through different banks should be limited by a credit-check before lending the money, and not only a revenue check. This would limit the amount that can be swindled. Then there is the credit card. When the credit card that he is using gets maxed out, which happens fairly quickly and frequently, the maximum amount available is raised by sending a fake payslip to justify that the account owner has enough money. This is where a good KYC onboarding could have helped. If the proof of revenue had been cross-checked (tax receipt checked through the official website, for instance), the newly provided payslip with an absurdly high amount, compared to what was registered during the onboarding should have raised a red flag. It is then possible to ask for more documents, to check directly with the company if this employee exists, even to cross check the employer against a database of similar alerts raised by other banks in different countries. Bear with me, this is not an easy check. But it can be possible when externalizing the KYC procedure to a global expert who can use their own fraud database, on top of external fraud listing sources. With this additional internal check, it is possible to identify when a payslip has been used in multiple similar cases, and when some of them have led to fraud sanctions. This could have helped limit the amount that the victim was able to raise, and make it harder for the swindler to scam those women.
Without a solid identity authentication procedure, users are left vulnerable to potential fraudsters and malicious actors.
In August 2021, Tinder announced that users will be able to verify their ID on the app in the ‘coming quarters’, in addition to the existing photo verification feature. At first it will be on a voluntary basis. ID verification will also be used to cross-reference data such as the sex offender registry in regions where that information is available. Although this investment in security features is promising, Tinder doesn’t say if this will ever become an obligation for its new user to verify their ID. The other question left is, what about the 75 million existing active users?
To be prevented, elaborated fraud requires elaborated checks. Internal resources and tools are usually not enough to prevent fraud, which is why calling on a global KYC partner with specific expertise and know-how can be the right solution.
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KYC: unlocking the Chinese puzzle to onboarding sellers on international marketplaces
The challenge is a familiar one: to build or develop your international marketplace, you must quickly take on tens of thousands of sellers from all countries, especially China. This involves setting up a KYC assessment process for these sellers that is effective and fully compliant. What’s the right solution? Setting up a digital platform allowing sellers’ files and their analysis in their original language to be collected, as explained by Alexandre Perrachon, Sales Director of Webhelp KYC Services.
Online sales have doubled over the past 4 years, reaching $4.5 billion in 2021. In 2022, this movement will continue and it is estimated that nearly a quarter of online purchases will be international. 2022 will therefore be marked by a large scale challenge: hypergrowth in international marketplaces. With this in mind, the topic of widespread onboarding of national and international sellers will become central.
As we will see, a well-managed KYC procedure makes it possible to meet two major challenges: guaranteeing regulatory compliance and offering sellers a simple and quick onboarding journey.
1 – Ensure compliance: comply with the regulations of the countries concerned, and adapt to their successive developments
When assessing sellers during onboarding, it must be possible to detect cases of fraud but also to ensure compliance with current international regulations. This presents 3 difficulties:
- these sellers must meet numerous criteria including some that are particularly strict (declaration of beneficial owners, non-registration on sanctions lists, etc.),
- national and international regulations are constantly changing, moving towards stronger controls, which require a structure for legal monitoring at international level,
- the types of proof of identity (legal entities and natural persons), the company registers vary from country to country and sometimes even from region to region within the same country, as is the case in China for example. Hence the need to have a thorough knowledge of current practices, and the ability to analyse documents in their original language without having to call upon certified translators.
In this context, more and more marketplaces are turning to specialists able to digitalise this process, such as Webhelp KYC Services, which provides:
- a wide geographical presence to be as close as possible to the sellers (Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas),
- far-reaching expertise in languages to analyse the files and guide the sellers on their onboarding journeys (experts in 50 languages),
- international, national and regional regulatory expertise,
- extensive experience in the fight against fraud (making it possible to build document fraud databases that can be shared between marketplaces)
2 – Offer the best experience to sellers, turning it into a competitive asset
To attract as many sellers as possible, marketplaces need to provide a seamless and fully integrated user experience. This usually involves digitalising the collection of documentation and information that make up the sellers’ files.
To maximise sellers conversion rates, marketplaces must also be able to analyse files efficiently at times absorbing large increases in volumes from one month to the next (especially just before “peak seasons” such as “Black Friday” or the festive season).
In this quest for flexibility and operational efficiency, again, marketplaces or their payment service providers (PSPs) are increasingly turning to specialists carrying out the onboarding of sellers by mixing the best in automation technologies with the work of expert analysts, to guide sellers throughout their journey.
Again, outsourcing has significant advantages:
- personnel numbers in teams can be adjusted as you go, depending on the need (annual peaks or troughs in activity, seasonal peaks, etc.),
- a large scale deployment is possible, nationally or internationally, without HR being faced with huge recruitment operations that are hard to handle,
- in-house teams can become loyal and upgrade their skills because they focus on tasks with high added value.
These sellers must be onboarded en masse and as quickly as possible, usually within 24 or 48 hours.
Outsourcing of onboarding: a good solution, with some conditions…
In international markets, outsourcing seller onboarding is the current trend. Awareness will become widespread in 2022: leading brands will prefer to focus on their core business – a perfect customer experience – and delegate tasks such as onboarding national or international sellers to specialists.
Outsourcing makes it possible to focus on such priorities, but with a word of warning: almost all KYC service providers rely on a technological solution, but they do not have sufficient, qualified personnel. However, an experienced team must be able to take over as soon as technology hits a problem (illegible, incomplete, outdated or fake document, etc.). This should be done within 24 hours in order to maximise the number of sellers onboarded. This sometimes involves contacting them, in their own language.
For example, to process onboarding requests from Chinese sellers, Webhelp KYC Services relies on its local teams in the APAC region (Asia Pacific), specialising in KYC operations and fluent in Mandarin Chinese. The stakes are high as China is now the largest e-commerce market with $672 billion generated by online sales in 2020.
For large Chinese – or American – marketplaces that want to develop in Europe by accelerating the onboarding of local sellers, it now seems essential to also rely on KYC management platforms that master the specific characteristics of each country (different regulations, multiple languages, cultural approaches and different uses…).
In conclusion, all marketplaces that have growth ambitions, or even hypergrowth ambitions, face a “puzzle” when it comes to onboarding sellers from all over the world: How to attract them? How to collect their onboarding requirements? How to maximise their conversion rate by providing the best user experience? How to ensure compliance with each country’s regulations?
To solve this “puzzle”, it would appear that using a specialised platform that is multilingual and combines technology and human capability is necessary. This is the choice that key leaders are making today to support this growth.
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The 4 key indicators of a successful KYC remediation campaign
Knowing Your Customer (KYC) is at the heart of the challenges faced by regulated companies and financial institutions. In fact, they are subject to the European legislation to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) and are obliged to carry out KYC checks. This involves collecting and checking information and associated supporting documents from the beginning of the relationship (identity, domicile, activity, etc.). These KYC operations also occur throughout the commercial relationship in the form of periodic reviews.
In the event of a breach discovered during an audit by a regulator, such as the ACPR (the French Prudential Supervisory Authority), companies face serious consequences such as criminal sanctions. They also risk damaging their brand image in the event of indirect involvement with a case of money laundering or fraud. Some organizations are also required to launch extensive KYC remediation campaigns aimed at making a substantial stock of existing customer records compliant, often before an imminent deadline. In such cases customers are asked and invited to update their file as soon as possible. These operations require special attention in order to maximise the remediation rate of these customers, while managing the associated investments and customer satisfaction.
In order to optimise the performance of a KYC remediation campaign, Guillaume Bru, Project Director at Webhelp KYC Services, recommends paying particular attention to 4 key indicators:
1/ After taking an inventory of the customers targeted by the campaign, ensure a maximum deliverability rate of the invitations in order to reach the largest number of customers.
The essential point is identifying which contact channels to prioritise according to the type of customer (email, post, SMS, telephone, etc.) and confirming having the means of contact used by each customer (email address, telephone numbers, postal address, secure messaging in the customer’s account, etc.). By having the option of using a variety of channels, you will increase your chances of reaching the customer with one of these methods. On the other hand, in order to control costs, prioritise mail only when necessary – for example, to customers less comfortable with digital channels or in the case of a final reminder.
2/ Once the customer is aware of the update request, the second indicator to be optimised is the take-up rate corresponding to the customers’ consent to the update of their file.
In fact, some customers complain about the constraints associated with these administrative formalities. Above all, it is necessary to prepare and use reasoned and personalised arguments, given by expert, trained members of staff. We have seen that 95% of customers agree to carry out the remediation following a well-reasoned call with one of our advisors. Also, rely on the official communication channels used by your company in its relationship with your customers (corporate website, customer support, etc.) in order to rule out any suspicion of phishing, for example.
3/ Customers must then be able to take action and provide whatever is required in order to obtain a maximum collection rate.
To do so, make it easier for them to cooperate and favour user-friendly digital channels, while leaving the door open to traditional channels such as post. You can also directly ask the customer what their preferred method is. Anticipate their questions and answer them if necessary. Offering support through a hotline or a chatbot is a good way to overcome any final obstacles they may face. Finally, in the event of a lack of response, send reminders with prompts, progressively and sufficiently spaced out to both control costs and preserve the customer relationship.
4/ Finally, the last key indicator to optimise is the compliance rate of the files collected.
Some files may be rejected due to incompleteness, illegible supporting documents or still being out of date. Raising the customer’s awareness beforehand of the required quality of the documents to be provided will help to avoid many rejections. Also, it is important to be pragmatic andadapt the level of the requests based on the assessed degree of AML/CFT risk. Analysing pre-existing information will also potentially reduce the number of items to be collected. Finally, in the event of a non-compliant file being received, set up a specific follow-up process to make the file compliant.
Define and prepare the campaign in advance by implementing a process that combines technology for automated tasks and people for high-value tasks. Throughout the remediation campaign, set goals, particularly for remediation rates that you will manage each week by optimizing these 4 key indicators. It is also wise to demonstrate flexibility by testing and adapting each element of the process in order to continuously improve results. This is the key to a successful KYC remediation campaign.
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[Banking, Insurance, FinTech] KYC Remediation: how to outsource without sacrificing customer experience
The purpose of KYC remediation procedures, which regulated establishments may be required to carry out, is to upgrade client data and to ensure that it is compliant. Faced with large amounts of data to process under tight deadlines, many companies choose outsourcing. But you need to be careful. KYC operations are delicate. They can have an unpleasant impact on end customers and thereby lead to the closure of customers’ accounts! However, as Nicolas Dambrine, Managing Director of Webhelp KYC Services explains, they are also an opportunity to get to know your customers better and even to boost their level of satisfaction.
KYC remediation refers to compliance operations that concern existing clients, in the context of KYC (Know Your Customer) regulations. It involves collecting, updating and checking customer data and the supporting documents, in particular, for identity, address and activity, as well as for tax. As a rule, with a regulated company (such as a bank, an insurance company, a payment institution or with FinTech), it follows:
- Pressure from the Regulator (the Prudential Supervision Resolution Authority, or ACPR in France), requiring a particular group of customers to be brought into compliance, sometimes with the threat of a fine
- The entry into force of new regulations which, to be complied with, require the database of existing customers to be updated
- Receipt of a banking licence or the acquisition of a banking institution, meaning that the database of existing customers needs to be updated so as to ensure uniform adherence to regulatory procedures
For many financial institutions, these remediation obligations pose several challenges: how can you implement a large number of operations in a short time and in a reliable and traceable way? How can you maximise the data collection rate so as to avoid closing the accounts of customers that did not respond? Finally, how can you minimise the impact on customer experience and avoid tarnishing the image of your brand?
After all, we should remember that a remediation initiative is rarely a happy experience for the end customers. It may appear intrusive or be viewed as a form of phishing that could compromise the confidentiality of their personal data.
While outsourcing KYC remediation is a very suitable solution to address these issues, it is not something you can improvise! For Nicolas Dambrine, there are a few golden rules to follow when it comes to outsourcing a KYC remediation initiative:
- Work out a methodology with accurate planning and topic-focused workshops, so you can prepare each stage of the project in advance and prevent technical, operational or human errors before the project gets under way.
- Get the help of a project team with both the right size and experience over the whole course of the initiative. It is easy to underestimate the workload, so it is better to invest a little more at the outset to ensure the project is well managed.
- Prioritise operational efficiency and process optimisation with an end-to-end solution combining technological and human elements. The truth is that although technology is transforming and accelerating the process of remote identification, no platform can claim to automate 100% of operations. Some complex procedures will require the involvement of teams of expert operators focused on value-added tasks and interaction with customers.
- Set up a dedicated telephone helpline right at the start of the initiative, allowing the end customers to ask questions and to check if the operation is legitimate, or to get help with completing the remediation process. We found out that 95% per cent of customers who contact this hotline agree to carry out the remediation, which is thanks to the quality of the advice from our expert agents. So for your initiative, this is a great way to increase the rate of compliance! This communication channel is also an opportunity to improve your customer relations and to strengthen the bond with your end customer: by getting updates on their situation or on their contact details, or hearing them express their needs and their problems …
- Establish accurate reporting and metrics beforehand, as they are essential for managing the project and achieving your objectives. They will enable you to monitor its progress and take decisions at the right time in the event of a change of course.
These five factors, if they are properly taken into account, are the keys to the success of an outsourced KYC remediation initiative.
When you make customer relations central to the whole operation, KYC remediation campaigns can give you an opportunity to improve the relationship with the end customer and to boost customer loyalty over the long-term, thanks to reassuring advice provided by experts.
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B-Case – How does a bank manage KYC in a B2C marketplace… by using a non-dissuasive process?
Webhelp supported a major international bank to manage all financial flows for its B2C marketplace customers through its specialised internal electronic money institution. Webhelp KYC Services carried out the entire vendor identification and onboarding process : a solution that means it was able to validate more than 10,000 vendors worldwide in just a few months.
This bank’s B2C marketplace customers offer their platform to thousands of vendors from around the world.
- This sector of activity is regulated by the Sapin II law, which targets money laundering and financing of terrorism. Non-compliance fines are on the rise and are expected to exceed $400 billion by 2020 in Europe and the US.
- This regulation requires that sellers and beneficiaries must have been formally identified by a KYC procedure (Know Your Customer) before they can operate in the marketplace.
The bank does not have an international task force to manage the KYC vendor registration process in the marketplace.
- Legal constraint: where the vendor is a legal entity, beneficiaries must be personally identified when registering and then periodically as soon as they hold more than 25% of the capital.
- The specific language and administrative requirements of each vendor’s country of origin must be taken into consideration.
- Each country has its own specific requirements regarding connections to administrative databases.
- Procedures for identifying and onboarding vendors must be fast and efficient enough not to be dissuasive, and reliable enough to comply with regulations.
In order to manage complex, multilingual and multi-country KYC procedures, Webhelp KYC Services has developed a project methodology that was rolled out in seven weeks. The organisation is based on five simultaneously processed areas: data collection (HMI), exchange security, APIs, acceptance rules, and management of reminders. Using our multilingual KYC hub, KYC identification operations can be managed in over 40 countries and in 15 languages. This takes into account each country’s specific administrative requirements and the KYC validation practices particular to the ordering parties. Generally speaking, only 55% of onboarding files are complete the first time around: Webhelp KYC Services uses a reminder program to optimise file completion.
The +: Onboarding a new vendor takes just a few minutes. Additional human verification, when necessary, is carried out in under twenty four hours.
“Unique in the market, our People & Solution procedure combines two components: a dedicated technical platform and multilingual operators trained in KYC verifications. It makes it possible to operate a multilingual, multi-country KYC service with a file rejection rate of less than five per cent.”
Hervé de Kermadec, president of Webhelp KYC Services
Whitepaper: Using KYC to deliver competitive differentiation
Revealing why KYC is no longer just a regulatory requirement but a matter of competitive survival
The process of knowing your customer, commonly shortened to KYC, describes the actions that organisations undertake to verify the identity of their customers. Regulatory compliance is fundamental to an effective KYC operation, but it is only the start.
As brands undergo rapid and necessary digital transformation in response to COVID-19, the importance of the experience created during the KYC process must not be overlooked. From regulation to differentiation, the customer must still be at the heart of the KYC journey.
KYC processes are increasingly viewed as competitive differentiators, for both clients and consumers alike across multiple industries. KYC can be flexed to provide differentiation linked to an organisation’s broader strategy, whether that is delivering a seamless journey for customers, rapid response times or reduced cost.
In this paper, authored by Senior Account Directors Ali Fry and Virginie Raux at Gobeyond Partners, part of the Webhelp group, we review the impact of new technologies, lessons learnt from other digital industries, and two key focus areas for KYC improvement activity.
Identity verification meets our KYC proven strategies
Fraud and economic crime rates remain on record highs, negatively impacting many companies than ever before. And if you thought the pandemic would slow down the online fraudsters, it has in fact created an opportunity for them. Criminals are now capitalizing on the current situation to further commit financial scams. With surgical masks and other medical amenities in high demand, fake shops, email addresses, social media accounts and websites allegedly offering these items, have surged online.
Common fraud scenarios in business…
- Business identity theft – when perpetrators open business accounts under the names of legitime existing companies.
- Phishing – when hackers impersonate a trusted vendor to convience you to authorize a financial transaction.
- Shell companies – firms that are purposefully set up with the objective of commiting fraud. Such companies never provide a product or service, but rather use their companies to launder money.
- Voicemail message scam – is a more recent means of businesses fraud which involves a voicemail that is delivered via e-mail. While at first glance the e-mail appears to be official, it normally has malware attached to it.
- Invoice fraud – from false invoices that lack a corresponding product or service to inflated invoices where the reported expenses are higher than the actual costs, companies face a myriad of wrong invoicing fraud schemes.
And because many global organizations often handle numerous monthly supplier payments, cybercriminals continue to take advantage of the susceptibility that exists. The damage is estimated at $63,000 in 87% of companies who earn an annual revenue of more than $1 Billion. (Source: KPMG – nsknox.net).
With over 10 years of experience since our founding, our team is made up of 450 KYC experts who are spread around five EU countries. Until now, we have served over 100 customers in various sectors such as Banking & Insurance, Gaming, Marketplaces, Real Estate and verified millions of documents.
Why us?...
Our solutions
Using our KYC solutions, we provide instant customer verification through enriching technology with a human touch.Our wide-ranging portfolio is designed and customized to match your business and industry needs. Our solution entails a mix of manual and digitalized processes which provides instant online customer identification and ID verification for B2C businesses.
Our approach
And just like we mentioned in our previous blog about the importance of using AI and humans in content moderation, combining the human touch with technology is equally important in the verification procedure. The innovative technology that KYC uses, accelerates activation, enhances customer experience and decreases fraud. Our best-in-class Application Programing Interfaces (APIs) are enriched with teams of experts who focus on value-adding customer interactions.
Our process
From complex to simple documents, our systems scan and verify all types of files such as, IDs, driving licenses, proof of address, pay slips, legal status bank details etc. The automatic extraction and authentication of data is enhanced with manual intervention from our Subject matter Experts.
Our risk mitigation
In order to stay compliant with the Anti Money Laundering (AML) and CTF rules, part of our obligation is to certify that customers are the people they claim to be. And for us to mitigate the risks, we use Realtime Name Check against sanction lists, Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) and Interpol. Project implementation is also backed up with compliance expert advises.
Our technology
The best-in-class deployment of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technologies ensures that the verification process is steadfast. We collect E-signatures as well as enable video streaming capabilities. Additionally, our API is connected to multiple external databases.
Our services
Apart from our Know Your Customer services, we also offer Know Your Business (KYB) where we offer a full range of services that help you better identify your B2B partners during their digital onboarding process. Our KYB service is compliant with international regulations and ensures higher transformation rates, increased performance and stronger security.
Moreover, with our Know Your Employee (KYE) system we have developed an innovative candidate onboarding platform enabling faster, more secured, and more efficient recruitment process. Finally, we design bespoke Remediation processes helping our customers to comply with regulation by collecting, updating, and verifying end user data. We are able to process very large data basis and thanks to our inbound and outbound calling capacity, we manage to drastically improve positive Remediation rates.
What is the main challenge and how does KYC overcome it?
Main issue is to be able to externalize the end to end KYC process and not only part of it. Many software providers propose automatic identification processes leaving customers to manually carry out fallback tasks in order to complement the technology when automatic ID verification fails. This creates complexity and hinders a seamless customer journey.
Webhelp unique combination of technology and manual fallback ensures 100% accurate and definitive decision on identification process, leaving high value added tasks and business decision to the customers. Low value added tasks and upfront verifications are done on Webhelp side, providing an end to end verification process. Our clients can thus concentrate on their core business relying on our proven dual verification approach.
Would you like to also benefit from our expertise in this field? Get in touch with our expert via LinkedIn - Hervé De kermadec President Webhelp KYC, or via E-mail on herve.dekermadec@webhelp.com.
Whitepaper launch: Reimagining service for the new world
As the urgency for change and transformation intensifies in the post COVID landscape, Craig Gibson CCO for Webhelp UK, shares his thoughts on the launch of a new Whitepaper, a collaboration with Gobeyond Partners, part of the Webhelp Group.
At Webhelp, we have a commitment to use customer experience management to create positive and emotionally significant consumer/client relationships. Many of our previous blogs have discussed the importance of brand humanity and the how the multitude of emotions consumers experience can influence the customer journey and change attitudes towards companies and brands.
And whilst this remains a clear focus, we can’t ignore the impact that COVID-19 has had on both service delivery and development of the Customer Experience industry.
It is rapidly evolving, and as interactions have by necessity changed, customers’ expectations have shifted and priorities have become significantly different to those that were drafted onto strategic plans at the close of 2019.
We have shared some of the ways we met the immediate challenge of COVID-19, including looking at our strong partnerships with brands like Yodel, but the business world is still adapting to this new way of working, and the way customers have traditionally acted and regarded customer service is changing.
As an industry, brands must understand that the rules have changed, for good.
And I am not alone in believing that customer experience will be pivotal in this future landscape, as Feefo’s CEO, Matt West, agrees saying:
“I think the ‘new normal’ will be more CX focused than ever. It will be all about fine-tuning right the way through the journey. Before all of this happened, evaluating the customer experience may not have been at the top of many businesses’ to-do lists, whereas this situation has brought the real value of a brand right to the forefront of the consumer’s minds. A refined CX is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s an essential.”[1]
It is time to tear up outdated plans and explore new and evolving needs which will drive future service development and innovation.
To this end, I have joined forces with Mark Palmer, Chief Executive Officer at Gobeyond Partners, part of the Webhelp Group, as we firmly believe that together we are able to provide a unique perspective.
There is no doubt that the need for transformation will only continue to intensify post COVID, and Mark hits the nail on the head, when he concludes that:
“COVID-19 is having a profound impact globally. Not only is it affecting our health, but it is fundamentally challenging and altering our political, social, and economic norms.”
And as our normal shifts, some key questions must be answered:
- How different will service look and feel in the future?
- How will businesses and their operations need to adapt?
- And how can employers engage and support their colleagues to deliver on new customer promises?
Our new Whitepaper, combining Webhelp’s expertise in global customer management with Gobeyond Partners’ Customer journey design and transformation experience is called Reimagining service for the new world. It provides a clear framework, or roadmap, for tomorrow’s successful customer-focused operating models and is backed by the latest exclusive research from over 500 business leaders.
There is something wonderful about looking at the right map to explore the road ahead, as:
“Maps are like campfires – everyone gathers around them, because they allow people to understand complex issues at a glance, and find agreement.”[2]
We hope that launch of this Whitepaper will provide the stimulus for many further blogs and events, and I would like to personally invite you to keep the campfire of innovation burning and join the Reimagining service for the new world mailing list, by connecting on LinkedIn and by becoming part of our future conversation. We’d love to hear what you think the future holds.
[2] www.sonomaecologycenter.org
How the Yodel and Webhelp partnership faced the challenge of COVID-19
Partnership is a huge part of the way we deliver services at Webhelp, and one of our four cultural pillars is to put the client at the heart. Here we explore the strong collaborative approach that was undertaken during the COVID crisis with Yodel, a key logistics client for Webhelp. Joining the discussion were Michaela Simpson, Head of Customer Experience at Yodel, Kellyann McCafferty, Account Director at Webhelp and Cobus Crous, Head of Operations for Webhelp in India and SA.
Yodel is one of the UK’s largest delivery companies for B2C orders, serving many of the country’s leading retailers. Webhelp and Yodel have been working together since 2015, and have built up a strong alliance providing outstanding customer service management, which is delivered from Webhelp’s offshore locations in South Africa and India.
What was the starting position of the logistics industry, and Yodel’s outlook before COVID?
Michaela Simpson (Yodel):
We were just coming out of a very successful peak period, the six weeks over Christmas, is traditionally one of the highest delivery periods for the consumer market. Logistics is a highly competitive sector and as an innovative carrier, our efforts were focused on continuing to build a forward-thinking technology roadmap. We were in the enviable position of having well-established, technical and highly skilled operational and management teams in place, and an exceptionally in depth understanding of the day to day working of the business.
Do you have any feedback on what Webhelp were doing well before COVID hit?
Michaela Simpson (Yodel):
Everything.
Together we had had a run of at least three, if not four really strong quarters. And, this success can be measured by the fact that Yodel have been awarding Webhelp service credits for great delivery at the end of each quarter.
Like any partnership, you can drill down into detail to find areas to challenge, which is simply good practice. But, in my opinion, we had the strongest people we’ve ever had and overall we were very pleased.
Do you have anything to share on the operational approach during COVID, for example how and when our partnership reacted – any stand out examples, or challenges?
Michaela Simpson (Yodel)
One stand out during the COVID crisis would be, just as we approached Easter, Yodel were awarded a UK government contract to collect COVID tests for the NHS, seven days a week. Webhelp delivered an eight person team specifically trained to support this essential service. We went from concept to go live in less than a week! They did an absolutely fantastic job delivering the first campaign and we now have two more on the horizon.
Kellyann McCafferty (Webhelp):
But there were challenges, and they were different depending on the country in question. In India, a curfew was announced on the 14th of March, and then the lockdown was announced on Mothers Day on Sunday the 22nd of March, one of Yodel’s busiest trading days of the year! We then had four hours to deliver desktops & laptops to our employees who were without access to technology. Working swiftly, our teams successfully managed to complete all actions on time and in line with the Indian Government regulations.
In South Africa, shortly before the formal lockdown announcement on the 23rd of March, we conducted an initial employee survey to understand the potential challenge of the home situation for our advisors in terms of WIFI, hardware, infrastructure and so on.
A staggered approach was then used to move our people to either supported homeworking, or for the small group where this was not suitable due to not having an appropriate home environment, supported working from a hotel venue.
The hotel solution was an industry first, which showed not only the strength in our partnership to act quickly and decisively around commercials and logistics, but also highlighted the commitment and dedication our people have towards Webhelp and Yodel.
Our advisors left their families and loved ones for 21 days, without hesitation, to support customers and clients from a hotel room during a very uncertain period. This is testament to our values and how our wonderful employees live the Yodel brand.
Michaela Simpson (Yodel):
Yes, the Indian lockdown happened incredibly quickly. And then South Africa was hot on its heels. One of the strengths we shared collaboratively was the ability to make some very decisive and quick decisions on how we were going to operate. This allowed Webhelp to deploy a robust plan at speed, which has been really successful, particularly in India, and remains so now.
Understandably, there were technical challenges to overcome, early in the process but, I think if you were a Yodel customer you probably wouldn't have noticed a significant difference.
We made the pragmatic, but firm decision to move away from phone services to Web chat until early August, and to manage that message to our consumers. Clear joint action gave us the freedom to plan our campaigns together, knowing the road ahead and the expected timeline.
Kellyann McCafferty (Webhelp):
This helped make sure that in a short space of time all our people, in both locations, were up and running from home, or hotel based – and while we appreciate the sacrifices our advisors made, the feedback was that they were delighted to carry on representing the Yodel brand during a difficult period, and maintained high enthusiasm in delivering great service.
Cobus Crous (Webhelp):
Absolutely. Taken together across the Webhelp estate, in both India and South Africa, Yodel was one of the accounts that were 100% operational within a 72-hour window.
And I think that's quite an achievement on its own.
Personally, I'm exceptionally proud of how my team reacted, to what was a very scary and unsettling scenario. Their attitude was: “OK, we're going for it, we're going to solve it!” From the moment they got their PC’s, they unpacked, connected and were ready to work the next morning! And I think that was remarkable, just how well they moved with the change. Our people are such a big part of this story.
Kellyann McCafferty (Webhelp):
In fact, this shows great resilience, as they were quickly functioning above normal business levels, when COVID actually brought much larger parcel volumes than usual.
Michaela Simpson (Yodel):
Yes, interestingly, at Yodel we were initially concerned about the negative impact COVID could have on online retail, which forms a substantial part of our business.
However, the reality was completely different. China came out of lockdown just as Europe went into it, and the expected disruption to the global manufacturing industry didn’t impact us. Suddenly home shopping habits changed completely, so we have been effectively running at peak operation, which we usually spend a significant part of the year planning and laying out logistics for.
And we managed to switch this on in a just a few hours. And since then we have maintained very, very high numbers, well above our plan!
Webhelp is a people first organisation with a commitment to make business more human, did this approach effect delivery?
Michaela Simpson (Yodel)
In the logistics industry, it's easy for us to think in operational terms, but despite the fact that we had to make some very critical business decisions, together we have considered and prioritised the people side of our partnership. This went above the usual checks and balance for any business and has come through very strongly from the Webhelp operational teams at a grass roots level.
Thoughts for the future?
Kellyann McCafferty (Webhelp):
With Yodel, we are building a highly proactive approach to contact and delivery, which benefits from the joint operational traits of flexibility, clarity of decision making and the right balance between people and technology.
Our partnership will continue to change the way that brands look at outsourced customer service for the logistics sector, both during this crisis and as we move towards a more stable future.
