Face to Face with NUG’s Kevin Hughes

Kevin Hughes of Progressive Insurance joined the NUG (NiCE User Group) board in 2020 and serves as the Recording Solution Chair. 

Before we ask you about your role on the NiCE User Group Board of Directors, will you tell us about your current job responsibilities?

I work in the Voice Infrastructure group for Progressive Insurance as an IT Systems Engineer Lead.  Our team supports all voice infrastructure which includes, but not limited to, phone switches, IVRs, fax solutions, and call recording solutions to name a few. 

What path led you to Progressive Insurance?

I have always liked technology and I also liked law enforcement. I started in the criminal justice program at BGSU (Bowling Green State University), and during my time there, I interned with the United States Secret Service. During my time at BGSU and my internship, I always found a way to integrate some sort of technology into my efforts. After I graduated from BGSU, a friend told me about Progressive Insurance’s cutting-edge approach to technology. I took a tour of Progressive Insurance and was excited about what they were doing. I applied and got accepted in 2001. Progressive puts a lot of focus on technology compared to a lot of other companies. We were the first insurance company with a website!  We’ve consistently used technology as a differentiator, before I was employed at Progressive Insurance and they still do today. 

Tell us about your experience using NiCE solutions.

Right when I first started at Progressive Insurance, I joined the NTOC (Network and Telecom Operation Center) and that is when I was first introduced to NiCE Systems. I started working on broke/fix issues that involved NiCE and I used those opportunities to learn as much as I could about NiCE.  Within six months of working at Progressive Insurance, I participated in the NiCE 8.5 upgrade. That is back when we used to archive call audio and call data to tapes. After many different versions of NiCE, we are now on NiCE Engage 6.7 and we use it for Call Recording and Quality Management.

What do you like best about the NiCE User Group (NUG)?

I really like the forums.  I don’t think people take advantage of them as often as I like.  It’s a great opportunity to ask questions and get support from a community of experienced IT professionals.

As a member of the NiCE user group, I saw an opportunity to drive communications and conversations with IT professionals.  I reached out to the NUG board and volunteered to lead a virtual recording chapter.  We meet quarterly to discuss timely topics and share best practices. 

Tell us a little about you, personally.

I’m married with two daughters, ages 2 and 4. I enjoy riding bikes. I like taking my daughters hiking, but they don’t make it too far yet.  I do a lot of yard work.  I’m a Star Wars fan. I like to try different types of beers.

What advice would you like to offer to those just starting their careers in technology?

Be open to new things.  Look for opportunities with new, emerging technology.  Sometimes we get stuck in ruts on how things should be done.  We need to be open to new ways to do things and look for improvements. I’m a big believer in the LEAN philosophy.

How has COVID-19 impacted your business?

A good portion of our agents now work from home.  Before COVID-19 and stay at home restrictions, only 25% of our employees worked from home and now 95% of our employees work from home. My group, Voice Infrastructure, helped to convert a large group of employees to softphones in a very short period of time, so they could work from home.

What do you like most about doing business with NiCE?

I like the call recording product and how well it works with the PCI requirements.  In comparison to other solutions, NiCE has the best solution for PCI.