Case Studies

VDS: TECHNOLOGY DELIVERING RESULTS

The Company

Visa Delivery Services (VDS) is an agency contracted by the Consular department of the U.S. Embassy. They provide an information and delivery service to applicants for U.S. Visas and Passports, aiming to make the process as efficient and hassle-free as possible.

Background

After lengthy experience of handling Visa and Passport applications, VDS recognized the need to provide a secure electronic system enabling customers to track the progression of their application, answer queries and provide peace of mind regarding the submission and return of personal documentation. Not only would this greatly improve customer satisfaction, but would also significantly reduce the time Embassy staff spent in lengthy manual procedures and addressing customer enquiries.

The Solution

The Hub's technical team developed two integrated high-security systems to tackle the problem for VDS. Firstly, a public website allowing applicants to book, track, and pay for delivery of their visa. This site was incorporated into the existing U.S. Embassy site. The second system is an internal processing system, consisting of several POS systems which produce a bar-coded receipt and tracking number, created when customers submit an application. This unique number allows both customers and internal VDS staff to track the progression of each application. It was integrated into the fulfilment system to enable tracking of a Visa from application all the way to the door, and subsequently allowed staff to respond to queries instantly, without the need for telephone agents. The solution included hardware sourcing and purchasing, staff training, and 24 hour support and maintenance.

The Result

The VDS website service is now the primary method of ordering Visas and Passports, highly valued by the U.S. Embassy and VDS teams. It serves and informs more than 30,000 applicants per month to a standard impossible with the previous system. With an ongoing relationship, we continue to update and add features, as well as providing staff training and I.T. support.