In response to the urgent need for relocating thousands of individuals from Afghanistan following the fall of the Afghan government, the Department of State rapidly established the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE). To support this critical mission, CARE partnered with industry leaders Great Hill Solutions and Maximus to develop a comprehensive contact center solution. This center plays a crucial role in assisting U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and Afghan allies seeking to leave Afghanistan.

 

The CARE contact center manages outreach through phone, email, and WhatsApp, handling relocation processes including transportation, transit processing, and resettlement in the U.S. The center utilizes a specialized Case Management System (CMS) to centralize and manage information, ensuring efficient coordination of logistics and security for relocation.

 

Key achievements include the swift implementation of a new hotline and IVR system to support Afghan refugees in Pakistan, following that country’s deportation of undocumented Afghans. This system, launched within a month, included a dedicated WhatsApp messaging service and was developed with rapid deployment and extensive training for approximately 100 case managers.

 

The contact center, staffed by 135 team members, employs advanced telephony, data management, and cloud-based technologies to enhance service delivery. Training programs cover essential skills, onboarding, mental health support, and more. The program's efficiency and effectiveness are reflected in high QA evaluation scores and a 20 percent increase in live answer rates for queries.

 

In 2023 alone, the contact center managed over 91,000 inbound calls, 52,000 outbound calls, and nearly 24,000 WhatsApp messages. These efforts have significantly improved the relocation process, providing timely and effective support to those affected by the crisis.