MassMutual Call Centers, Representative Capture Three Gold Awards for Client Service, Best-Practices

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual) captured top honors in the 2010 Top Performers in the Contact Center Industry Awards. Danielle Baker, in MassMutual's Retirement Services Call Center, also was awarded a gold medal for Best Customer Service Representative in the Americas.

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MassMutual earned gold awards for the Americas Region in three categories: Best Contact Center (Medium Size) and Best Customer Service Practices Panel Presentation, in addition to Baker's award for Best Customer Service Representative. The Top Performers awards are sponsored by ContactCenterWorld, a global association for customer service contact center best-practices.

"When I take calls from a plan participant, I'm talking to a real person about his retirement future," explained Danielle Baker, named the best customer service representative by ContactCenterWorld. "It's so important that I provide accurate and complete information, so they can make the best decision about their retirement." Hear Baker describe her service philosophy.

This is the second consecutive year that MassMutual has been recognized by ContactCenterWorld as a top performer in delivering outstanding customer service. MassMutual has a history of leadership in delivering superior customer service, also earning the MarketTools Customer Sat ACE Award for the past two years as well as multiple Best in Class awards from the International Quality and Productivity Center. Learn more about MassMutual's recognition for service excellence from Gordon Pullan, assistant vice president of the Participant Information Center, MassMutual's Retirement Services division.

The 2010 Top Performers in the Contact Center Industry Awards recognize the very best in the contact center industry from North and South America from more than 1,000 applicants. The awards were announced at the 2010 ContactCenterWorld annual conference in June. As a gold medal winner, MassMutual also has been invited to share "Customer Service Agent Best Practices" at the 2010 Top Performers in the World event taking place this November in Las Vegas.

"Earning a gold award for the Best Contact Center in the Americas is a testament to our commitment to delivering world-class service to our policyholders and the agents and representatives who serve their needs," said Mike Fanning, executive vice president of MassMutual's U.S. Insurance Group. Our call centers are the 'voice of MassMutual' in this regard," he added. Watch Fanning talk about the key role MassMutual's service organization plays in the customer experience.

"We strive for one-call resolution for policyholders and our distribution partners, all with the goal of making it easy to do business with MassMutual," said Sylena Echevarria, assistant vice president of MassMutual's U.S. Insurance Group Customer Service Centers. Listen to Echevarria describe the secret to MassMutual's top-notch service.

MassMutual's combined customer service call centers serve insurance policyholders, sales and distribution professionals, as well as employer retirement plan sponsors and participants.

"Our Retirement Services call center associates are at the heart of our customer service offering," stated Elaine Sarsynski, executive vice president of MassMutual's Retirement Services Division and chairman and CEO of MassMutual International LLC. "We take enormous pride in delivering personalized, meaningful assistance to our retirement plan participants, so they can prepare for a successful retirement. With the ever-increasing focus on the importance of planning and saving for retirement, our customers value the help they receive from the call center more than ever," she added. See Sarsynski describe the importance of the service organization to the Retirement Services business.

"The winners of this year's awards represent the very best in contact center talent and best practices from around the globe," said Raj Wadhwani, president of ContactCenterWorld. "I'm proud to represent an industry that is so committed to investing in and delivering exceptional customer services to its customers."

For more information about MassMutual products and services, visit massmutual.com.

About MassMutual

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders.  The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders every year since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) [of which Retirement Services is a division] and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit massmutual.com.

About ContactCenterWorld

ContactCenterWorld (www.contactcenterworld.com) is a conference, research and online magazine for the contact center industry and serves as a resource for contact center professionals around the world. ContactCenterWorld.com has more than 120,000 corporate members worldwide and draws more than 7,500 unique visitors per day.

SOURCE MassMutual