In 2018, Alterra Mountain Resorts made a bold entry into the ski industry, setting out to challenge the dominance of Vail Resorts and its groundbreaking Epic Pass. With the creation of the Ikon Pass, Alterra launched a revolutionary season pass product that quickly positioned the company as a formidable competitor. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Alterra united 13 owned resorts across California, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, and Quebec, along with 16 additional partner resorts, under a single pass. This innovative product offered skiers and snowboarders access to some of the most iconic destinations in North America, effectively reshaping the competitive landscape of the ski industry.

The Ikon Pass's complexity, with varying dates, benefits, and blackout periods, presented a significant challenge. Alterra needed a centralized call center to manage season pass sales and customer service efficiently across all 29 resorts, ensuring a seamless customer experience and solidifying its place as a major player in the industry.

Drawing on my experience managing the Epic Pass call center at Vail Resorts, where I had firsthand knowledge of the volatile call volumes, I led the charge to create a virtual contact center that could adapt to these demands. The solution involved integrating the existing call centers at the four largest owned resorts—those with the most agents—into a cohesive, virtual operation capable of handling the call volume for all 29 Ikon Pass resorts.

To achieve this, we implemented a CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) system using Nice (formerly InContact), a browser-based platform that enabled agents to work anywhere. This system gave supervisors complete visibility into agent performance, regardless of physical location, and ensured a seamless experience for customers who remained unaware of where their calls were being handled. The system's flexibility allowed eastern resorts to handle early morning calls, while western resorts managed end-of-day calls from Pacific time zones and Hawaii.

The resorts' diversity and the Ikon Pass's complexity required a robust knowledge base. To address this, we replaced the outdated methods of emails, memos, and Excel spreadsheets with an easy-to-use, browser-based knowledge management system. This allowed agents to access the needed information quickly, improving efficiency and accuracy and reducing talk time.

The implementation process was not without its challenges. Coordinating multiple call centers across different time zones required meticulous planning and execution. We ensured that each location was equipped with the necessary tools and training to operate within the virtual environment. The transition to the CCaaS system was completed in just six months, a testament to the dedication and collaboration of the entire team.

The strategy focused on reducing customer effort, which was central to our approach. By standardizing the technology infrastructure and implementing centralized reporting, we reduced the fragmentation that had previously hindered operations. This allowed for more effective resource planning and streamlined communications, ensuring all agents had access to the same information and tools.

One of the critical factors in the success of this project was securing executive buy-in. The support from top leadership was crucial in overcoming obstacles and ensuring that the new processes were adopted across the board. Additionally, the CCaaS system's vast array of features necessitated a dedicated effort to evaluate each module's benefits and create new business processes rather than simply replicating old ones.

The launch of the virtual contact center was a resounding success. Despite the unanticipated call volume, the center effectively managed the surge, maintaining a low abandonment rate. Within the first season, the virtual call center facilitated the sale of $30 million in Ikon Pass products, demonstrating its capability to handle high volumes while providing exceptional customer service.

The system's flexibility also allowed us to add qualified staff at any time, from anywhere. During particularly unpredictable peak times, we were able to leverage ticket sellers at Squaw Valley (now known as Palisades) to support the virtual contact center, ensuring that customer service remained uninterrupted.

The success of the virtual contact center was recognized internally, as noted by the Vice President of Call Centers at Alterra Mountain Resorts: 'Susan led the charge to start our virtual contact center, which can now flex to handle over 65,000 calls, chats, and emails in a day. This contact center has been very successful in large part due to Susan's efforts.'

This project highlighted the importance of rethinking traditional business processes when implementing new technology. The CCaaS system offered many features, and success required a dedicated person to assess and optimize these tools for the company's needs. Furthermore, the importance of executive buy-in cannot be overstated; their support was essential in driving the project to completion.

It's also worth noting that the agents operating from call centers located at the resorts could extend their winter employment both in the spring and the fall. This approach allowed Alterra to utilize its agents better, enhancing operational efficiency and employee retention.

Another key takeaway is that building traditional call centers is no longer the only option. By leveraging employees from different locations and departments, companies can effectively balance call volume and respond to customer needs with greater flexibility.

Moreover, focusing on reducing customer effort and improving operational efficiency will continue to benefit Alterra as they refine their contact center operations.