BMI Launches New Nashville-Based Affiliate Customer Service Department

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Erin Crawford. Photo: Nathan Zucker

BMI has launched a new call center as part of a broader growth plan to enhance its overall affiliate customer service experience. A new phone system is in place with a centralized toll-free number (844-BMI-4255).

BMI’s newly-promoted AVP of Affiliate Customer Service Experience Erin Crawford is spearheading the new Nashville-based customer service department.

Crawford’s promotion was the first step in BMI’s multi-phased initiative to modernize and enhance the customer service experience for affiliates. According to BMI, callers can expect quicker response times and call routing, so inquiries go to the appropriate case specialist, and call monitoring to ensure that quality standards are consistently met.

The call center team is expected to be fully staffed by June. It will include bilingual agents, and will handle initial affiliate inquiries, while multiple case specialists will also be available to address more detailed royalty administration questions. The team is currently available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT, with plans in place for operating hours to expand later this year.

BMI is also working on a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, building an affiliate self-service portal and deploying a chat function to better handle incoming calls and questions.

“I’m thrilled to be leading BMI’s new customer service initiative to offer our affiliates a best-in-class full-service experience and am proud of the significant progress we have made so far,” says Crawford. “With the new centralized number, contact center software and a team of dedicated agents available to answer questions and direct inquiries to the right place, we are well on our way to making that happen. I’m very excited to continue with the momentum of this important initiative and roll out the next wave of customer service enhancements to assist our incredible roster of music creators.”

Crawford joined BMI in 2020 as Executive Director, Distribution & Administration Services, where she led teams responsible for writer/publisher affiliations, repertoire quality and online services support. Prior to that, she spent 18 years with The Nielsen Company and was most recently SVP & General Manager of Nielsen Music, where she led commercial client relationships with Billboard and hundreds of major and independent record labels, publishers, business managers, concert promoters, digital service providers, media companies, consumer brands and various agencies.

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