Case Study Series
Abby, Inc. Assists in
the Creation of the Bankforce Training Program for Goodwill
Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago.
Training and Placement Services
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago is the largest of the 182 Goodwill Organizations in North America. It employs more than 2,300 people in 50 locations throughout twenty-one counties. Their objective: to develop or secure work opportunities that fulfill every individual's personal and professional goals while providing wages and benefits that maintain self sufficiency.
Since 1919, Goodwill Industries has provided work services and opportunities to the community. Goodwill Industries placed over 28,000 men and women into community employment in the last ten years.
In the financial industry, one area of employment that
directly affects cash flow and customer satisfaction is that of remittance
or lockbox processing. With
this in mind, Goodwill Industries wanted to create a remittance training
program that would assure employers that their new hire from Goodwill
Industries would have a high level of productivity and an effective
understanding of remittance processing.
Abby’s
Customized Remittance and Lockbox Program
Specializing in the development of customized computer based training programs, Abby, Inc. provided the tools that Goodwill Industries sought. Goodwill Industries needed a program that produced quality trained processors in the lockbox or remittance areas. Abby helped address these special training needs by customizing the computer based, audio enhanced Bankforce Training Program for Goodwill Industries.
“Abby
was an asset in assisting in the formulation of the Bankforce Training
Program. Before Abby, we had
absolutely no banking program and didn't know to whom to turn.
I remembered the services that Abby provides for training in the
private sector,” said Tom Minta, Coordinator of Vocational Training
Features of the Bankforce Training Program
In
the Bankforce classroom, the program begins with an introductory course
that introduces trainees to basic computer concepts.
The lessons include:
Ergonomics
Batch
Creation and Batch Registration
Intro
to Checks and Banking
Payee
Verification
Intro
to Remittance Banking
Transport
Operation Ten Key
Touch
Fingering Training
Amount
Verification
Introduction
to the Imaging
Workstation
Reassociation,
Reports, and Mailing
Checks
and Customer Special
Instructions
Data
Entry
The
Extraction Process
Customer
Notification
This
comprehensive training program, custom designed by Goodwill Industries and
Abby, Inc., helps to produce quality employees for the banking industry.
Of the 44 students completing the Bankforce program last year, 40
(90.9 %) were placed in quality remittance/lockbox jobs at such
institutions as Bank of America, BankOne, Mellon Bank, ABN AMRO, and
FISERV. “Abby Training has
made our Bankforce Training Program what it is: a means for people who are
disabled or economically disadvantaged to find entry level employment
situations that can drastically improve their lives.
Abby has allowed Goodwill Industries to open doors to people who
thought employment was impossible,” explained Tom Minta.
“Abby
training software is designed with the trainee in mind.
The software is both friendly and challenging and makes certain
that the trainee learns the proper method to the skill, as well as a
thorough understanding of the particular function the trainee is
learning.”
Customizing to Meet Special Needs
One
special feature of Abby, Inc. is their capability to customize their
programs in great depth. “Abby
was willing to take the time to study our agency and come to know the
people we serve. Since we do
a lot of training with people who are Deaf and hard of hearing, Abby made
certain that their program was close captioned so that lessons were
applicable to this population of our participants,” explained Tom Minta.
A Special Partnership
Another significant feature of Abby, Inc. is the long‑lasting relationship and commitment Abby creates with its customers. Abby, Inc. not only played a critical role in the development and implementation of the Bankforce Training Program, but also continues to support and enhance the program as it provides remittance training to potential hires.
“Abby
took the time to supply us with hardware and training beyond the call of
duty to make certain that our training program was one of the best.
Their staff members such as John Wells and Stephanie Stiles were
most cooperative and understanding of our agency and have become excellent
partners and friends,” said Tom Minta of the Abby/Goodwill Industries
relationship.
About Abby
Abby,
Inc. is an established organization that offers quality products,
excellent customer service and competitive pricing.
Abby, Inc. was the first company to offer computer based training
to proof operators. Located
in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Abby is a nationwide provider of training
solutions for mid to large sized financial institutions.
Abby believes that a company's processes, no matter how
sophisticated, are only as good as the skills of its operators.
Companies
choose Abby because of their industry expertise and because their software
training programs increase productivity.
When asked what Goodwill Industries would say to other companies
looking for a quality training program, Tom Minta said, “If they want
quality training software and skilled representatives to assist with their
training needs, Abby is the way to go.”