Knowledge Centre - Case Study

Direct Debit expert™ Helps Warranty Direct Give Customers Better Service

Warranty Direct Takes Control

Warranty Direct is the UK's leading provider of extended warranties. The business has grown considerably over the last four years, but Warranty Direct continues to focus on providing its customers with great service. Many of Warranty Direct's customers pay by Direct Debit. In the past, the company outsourced these collections. However, in 2005, Warranty Direct decided it could give customers a better service by bringing its Direct Debit operations in house. Sandy Jenkinson, Operations Manager at Warranty Direct, says: "Customers would ask if they could change the date of their Direct Debit, but because we'd outsourced it, we weren't in control of when and how quickly that could be done."

Working With the Global Payments Specialists

Warranty Direct's bank recommended that it speak to payment specialists Direct Debit Limited about software that could help automate its Direct Debit processes. The company's Direct Debit management software, Direct Debit expert™ (DDe™), immediately impressed Warranty Direct. As a result, the company worked with Direct Debit Limited's development team to integrate the system into its existing environment. Jenkinson says: "Before we went live, it was clear that DDe™ was going to be fantastic." Warranty Direct is now a paperless service user, which means the company can sign up customers over the phone. The company also plans to offer customers the option to sign up online in the near future.

Improves Customer Service

"We don't just sell our customers a product and hope they'll come back in 12 months," says Jenkinson. "We look after them throughout that period. That's why we need control over our payment processes." With DDe™, Warranty Direct's customers can change details of their payments quickly and easily over the phone. Jenkinson says: "DDe™ is great because it puts us in control and gives us so much more flexibility. It's just easier for customers. We can process any changes straight away and the information we can give them now is fantastic."

Grows to Meet Business Needs

Warranty Direct now has more than 21,000 payers in DDe™. The company is delighted with the way that DDe™ has matched the growth of the business. Jenkinson says: "Sometimes you can outgrow solutions, but we've grown significantly over the last four years and DDe™ still meets all our needs." Warranty Direct knew DDe™ would help reduce the costs associated with taking payments, but it also gives the company greater insight into its cash flow. Jenkinson says: "The reports in DDe™ tell you exactly how much to expect and they make it a lot easier for our accounts department to reconcile everything."

Ensures Business Complies With Regulations

Warranty Direct operates in a heavily regulated environment where compliance is essential. DDe™ makes it easy for the company to comply with the Direct Debit scheme rules. Jenkinson says: It's all down to the updates in DDe™. The Direct Debit guarantee changed recently and we just actioned updates on DDe™ and it was done. That's just fantastic for us and it means we can pass the correct information onto our customers."