iVantage^® Proves to be a Successful Endeavor

Fidelity Federal Bank & Trust opened its doors in 1952 as West Palm Beach Federal Savings and Loan and has become the sixth largest b ank headquartered in Florida. Just as the South Florida community has grown over the past 50 years, Fidelity Federal has expanded with it – from one office into more than 50 offices. Today, this dynamic financial organization has an entire network of branches, accounts and services to support the community in which it resides.

Lack of Information, Duplicate Data Entry, and Paperwork Just Don’t Mix
While Fidelity Federal grew, nine human resource professionals tried to keep up with its tedious, paper-driven process. They were continuously faced with lost information, multiple data entry efforts, and database crashes. In some cases, it would take weeks for changes to appear in the computer system. The team desperately needed an HR system that could keep up with the rapid, continuous growth of the company and could accommodate multiple branch offices. Additionally, the staff needed a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) that granted access to more than one user at any given point in time.

Technology that Works
During its company-wide planning process, Fidelity Federal’s HR team utilizes iVantage as a way to extract and leverage critical human resource information for reporting such as: FMLA tracking, EEO 1, Vet 100, Affirmative Action and work proof eligibility. iVantage enables HR to quickly pull and present quality information to upper-management.

One of their primary goals included eliminating multiple data entry efforts and empowering employees throughout the company with instant access to information. To accommodate this request, Fidelity Federal implemented the iVantage Connect^™ Self-Service module. Once the module was up and running, it gave HR more time to focus on other areas within the organization. One area involved spending more time concentrating on gathering and delivering mission critical data to the management team, rather than being bogged down with cumbersome data entry and numerous phone calls from their 750 employees. “The Self-Service functionality vastly reduced most of our phone calls and made our employees feel more involved and informed about their benefits,” said Letcher.

Before Fidelity Federal went live in August 2003, the HR team worked with Spectrum’s staff to tailor the iVantage system to meet all of their needs. One area included uploading specific items for its unique paid time-off (PTO) program. The company bases their PTO on length of service, officer status, and exempt or non-exempt status. Their PTO program works like any other traditional PTO program, with the exception that any time left over at year-end is transferred into a special absence account that employees can draw upon for extended absences, such as family emergencies or sick time off. “We have so many exceptions, based on so many different rules,” said Letcher. “Spectrum made our accrual process work perfectly.”

Additionally, Fidelity Federal set up an import/export link to their training department. This enables them to import data from their training database into their iVantage system using certain fields and populations. The entire process makes it quick and easy for the company to transfer or cross-reference information.
Fidelity Federal also finds it critical to their operations to have enhanced reports. Their HR team created several reports to handle their reporting needs, including salary analysis, termination and Affirmative Action. “Termination is especially critical because the banking industry is known for high-turnover,” said Letcher. “It took up precious hours of our HR staff’s time whenever we had to terminate an employee. I don’t know how we could keep track of the ever-changing staff if it weren’t for iVantage and the reports it generates.”

The Right Choice with iVantage
The HR team made the right decision by choosing iVantage. “Accuracy is very important to us and accuracy is what we got,” said Letcher. “The link to our payroll processor has rid us of dual entry and significantly decreased the amount of man hours spent on it. We used to support three Access systems and had to create our reports manually — iVantage has put an end to all of that.” Fidelity Federal was also able to reduce person hours by enabling the HR staff to log on to the system from remote locations. “Now we don’t have to rely on one person to maintain the entire database. Anyone, at anytime, can access iVantage.”

Last, Letcher raves about the service Spectrum provides. “We love the system and its capabilities, but most of all we love the support we get. We haven’t met nicer or more helpful people than we have at Spectrum. They have a way of making us feel like their #1 client every time we call!”