Category: Claim Reporting

5 Biggest Trends Transforming Call Centers

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March 23rd, 2021

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Most insurance companies that utilize call centers view it as the cost of doing business, but new trends are changing this perception. Modern call centers can do much more than provide a necessary service. They can engage with their customers in new ways to improve customer satisfaction. With customer expectations higher than ever, insurance providers need their call centers to deliver where it matters most.

The following call center trends are driving value and revenue:

  1. Prioritizing the customer experience. The customer’s experience affects their satisfaction with their provider, likelihood to purchase future products, and their continuing loyalty. While obtaining new business is important, retaining existing customers has a much greater effect on revenue.
  2. Making data-driven decisions. Insurers will struggle to improve customer satisfaction if they don’t know their pain points. Call centers gather a plethora of data that can help insurance providers identify customer preferences and trends. They can then harness that data to provide in-demand products, mitigate recurring problems, and tailor marketing efforts to meet customer expectations and desires.
  3. Personalizing every interaction. Customers expect call center employees to know who they are, what their existing coverage and policies are, and have access to previous calls they’ve made. Legacy systems can’t deliver this kind of experience, which forces the customer to repeat themselves every time they call. Without personalization, customers feel like a file number and that their insurer doesn’t care about them.
  4. Implementing omnichannel communication. Customers expect offline and digital options to communicate with their insurer. This goes beyond web portals or email. Today’s average customer is well-versed in technology, and they expect their insurance provider to keep pace. Insurance providers need a call center that can deliver exceptional service across all channels, including chat support, social media, and text.
  5. Bringing call centers closer to home. Offshore call centers appeal to many insurance companies because they’re comparatively inexpensive, and they can offer customer service around the clock. However, many insurers are realizing offshore call centers have hidden costs. Customers across the board have voiced complaints about the poor quality of service, as well as raised concerns about data security. Bringing call centers closer to home allows insurers to vet that new agents have the right skill set and experience for the job.

Meeting customer expectations is critical to retaining their business. Communicating with them when and how they want to, as well as providing superior service, can help achieve that goal. To learn more about enhancing your communication and call center services, contact the experts at Actec.

Elements of Effective Automated Claims Processing and Digital FNOL

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March 16th, 2021

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Insurance companies rely on key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the effectiveness of their processes. Insurers can generate more value for the customer while reducing their expenses by focusing on the following foundational KPIs:

  • Customer experience
  • Claims efficiency
  • Claims accuracy

The most direct means to boost these KPIs is by digitizing the claims process. Digital claims simplify the process for customers by allowing them to electronically initiate first notice of loss (FNOL), upload images, and receive updates about their claims. Digital processes are also more efficient than manual claims management, as they allow agents to process more claims in less time. Digital systems can identify errors and red flag potential problems as well, which helps avoid clerical delays.

It can be challenging for insurance providers to make the leap as technology is constantly evolving. However, the most successful digital transformations share several elements:

  1. Digitizing claims prevention efforts. Insurance companies have a trove of data available to them to identify customer trends. By issuing data-based safety notifications, insurance companies can provide simple tips to help customers avoid a loss. For example, if the weather forecasts a winter storm, insurance providers can send automated texts to their customers with tips for driving during winter weather. Reminding drivers to slow down, put chains on their tires, or stay home unless it’s necessary to go out can help prevent claims.
  2. Digital FNOL. Customers expect fast and simple solutions to all their problems, but their urgency increases exponentially following a loss. Providing a digital, easy-to-use FNOL software option gives customers agency over their claim while expediting the process. Implementing text or chat FNOL services provides customers with another channel of communication. This service allows them to obtain answers to common questions about their claim, which eliminates confusion and anxiety.
  3. Automating claims management processes. Automating fraud detection, progress updates, and other administrative processes drastically improves claims efficiency. Digital software can identify the type of claim, route it to an appropriate agent, check it for fraud, and more within minutes compared to the lengthy process of checking it all by hand.
  4. Electronic appraisals and repairs. For simple claims, customers can submit details and pictures that allow appraisers to assess the damage or loss. Insurers already have a list of their preferred repair shops. Digitizing the process can identify which provider is closest to the customer. They can even schedule the appointment electronically, so the customer doesn’t have to do any heavy lifting during the claim cycle.
  5. Automatic settlements. One of the biggest pain points for customers is when a repair vendor is out of sync with their insurer. They may have to pay for the expense out of pocket and seek reimbursement from their insurance provider. However, the insurer may have already sent the payment to the vendor, which worsens the customer’s confusion and frustration as they try to get their money back. Automating the process eliminates this bottleneck. Insurers can automate several types of settlements, such as paying for a repair service, replacing the damaged item, or offering a cash settlement.

Digitizing claims processes can generate value by boosting KPI performance. While every step of the claim should be custom-centric, FNOL is the single greatest opportunity insurers have to secure customer satisfaction. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how text and chat FNOL services can improve claims management.

5 Customer Service Red Flags for Call Centers

Posted on

March 9th, 2021

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Customer service is a critical component to securing customer loyalty. No matter how stellar a product or service might be, customers will look for other options if the support is lacking. Knowing the warning signs of customer service issues allows businesses to address the problem before it costs them customers. Some of the biggest customer service red flags for call centers include:

  1. Long wait or hold times. The negative effects compound rapidly when a company makes customers wait. If it takes too long for a business to answer a call, the customer begins the conversation from a place of frustration. If the customer then has to wait on hold, that aggravation builds. If they have this experience every time they try to contact customer support, they’ll be more likely to look for a new provider. Customers also expect rapid replies to their chat support and email inquiries.
  2. Communication problems. Businesses noticing an uptick in unanswered calls and open chat windows may have a customer service issue. Not receiving an answer or support is equally as frustrating for customers as it is to sit on hold. Inefficient routing can also irritate customers as they have to repeat their inquiries every time a representative transfers them.
  3. A lack of repeat customers. If a customer likes a product or service, odds are they will make purchases again in the future. If businesses notice a dip in purchases from their established customers, poor customer service may be the culprit.
  4. Customers leave or close accounts without an explanation. Customers don’t always explain why they moved on to a new provider or vendor. However, most customers will break ties with a company after a negative experience with customer service. Keeping an eye on service cancellations or closed accounts can provide some insight into the quality of the company’s customer service.
  5. Prioritizing speed over quality. If a company evaluates customer service representatives based on how many calls or inquiries they resolve, this will cause representatives to rush. Rushing rarely produces quality customer service, and representatives may provide incorrect answers in their haste. Customers can sense when a representative is trying to complete the call as quickly as possible, and the quality of service often lags as well.

Providing superior customer service is critical to retaining existing customers and their business. Investing in a high-quality call center can help ensure the customer’s experience is satisfactory from start to finish. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how a nearshore call center can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How to Cultivate Trust Between Insurance Companies and Customers

Posted on

March 2nd, 2021

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In the not-to-distant past, purchasing insurance products was a frustrating and challenging task for most customers. They didn’t understand the minutiae of various policies and often had to rely on industry experts to help them decide. This confusion bred distrust, which led to lower customer engagement compared to other industries.

As the internet boomed, businesses began moving their services and products online. It didn’t take long for customers to develop a preference for digital channels of communication. The insurance sector created web portals to keep pace with the competition, but this approach resulted in little innovation. Insurance companies had websites, but they failed to live up to customers’ expectations or meet their needs.

What Customers Want

To fix the problem, insurers need to know what customers expect on their websites. The following are some of the biggest influences on customer satisfaction and trust:

  • Ease of use. Customers don’t like filling out confusing forms. While paperwork is an unavoidable element of filing a claim or inquiring about a product, it should be a simple, easy-to-understand process.
  • Remove uncertainty. Customers hate not knowing what to expect regarding their claims or inquiries. They want to know when someone will contact them or what they can do in the interim to expedite the process.
  • Targeted advice. Customers want access to all the relevant information before making an insurance purchase. While they prefer self-service options, they want relevant information to help guide their choice as well. They also want quick and easy access to a representative to ask questions about their policy or claim. Implementing a text or chat service can help achieve this goal.

Customers want several communication channels to engage with their insurance provider. Some may prefer speaking over the phone, while others may prefer digital channels. However, email and web portals are often too slow for urgent questions. Giving customers the option to text or chat with their insurance provider can provide timely answers, address concerns, and improve customers’ trust. To learn more about text and chat services, contact the experts at Actec.

Reducing Claim Adjuster Stress to Improve Productivity and Customer Satisfaction

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January 28th, 2021

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shutterstock_174875483Claims adjusters deal with the brunt of the customer’s ire during the claims process. While the hope is for a smooth claim and rapid resolution, this is not always possible. When dealing with multiple parties, adjusters are at the mercy of the client and any third parties. They cannot move forward with a claim until all involved individuals submit the necessary information. Unfortunately, this can result in angry clients as well as stressed out adjusters. Adjusters do not often receive the recognition they deserve. Not only do they help resolve claims, they also detect fraud, find ways to reduce claim costs, and more.

Make the Work Meaningful

Nobody wants to perform a job that has no perceived impact, and claims adjusters are no exception. They want to perform tasks that engage their minds and provide tangible results. Some examples include improving claim efficiency or helping individuals affected by a claim. If an adjuster spends most of his or her day stamping and filing paperwork, they are unlikely to feel fulfilled by their work. Insurers that treat their adjusters like problem solvers instead of paper pushers will see improvements in claims costs, fraud detection, and customer service.

Promoting Work-Life Balance

Many employers interpret the term work-life balance as a means for employees to goof off instead of buckling down and completing their work. However, that is a callous view of workplace morale. Adjusters can burn out if they do not mind their work-life balance. When this happens, their work and productivity suffer. Insurance providers need to make certain that their adjusters are getting adequate rest and downtime. Otherwise, they may begin making costly mistakes. Technology can help by taking on the most tedious jobs and allowing adjusters to focus on their most meaningful tasks. This is especially important in an increasingly remote workforce where it can prove difficult to separate personal and professional time.

Create and Support a Strong Workforce

Many insurance professionals have recently retired or will so do so. Insurance companies need to retain their current workforce in order to train the next generation of adjusters. In their final years of employment, adjusters will want predictable schedules and value-driven tasks. However, not just seasoned workers want a good work-life balance. Millennials also value work-life balance in addition to meaningful work. If insurance providers don’t address what rising and existing adjusters want from their job, they will struggle more than their competition to attract and retain talent.

Skilled adjusters are vital to an efficient claims management cycle. If your company is grappling with inefficiencies and angry customers, Actec can help. Our full cycle claim and incident reporting solutions can improve the claims process from first notice of loss (FNOL) to claims resolution. Contact us to learn more.

Quality Assurance Strategies for Better Call Centers

Posted on

January 11th, 2021

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Businesses rely on call centers to streamline calls to improve customer service, capture leads, and boost sales. If a call center’s performance quality is low, it can lower customer satisfaction and hurt profit margins. Businesses can use the following strategies to cultivate a top-notch call center:

  1. Track all forms of communication. Companies communicate with their customers through several channels. Customer support employees may field inquiries via telephone, email, text, or chat. Many call centers focus their attention on voice calls, but these other lines of communication are important for ensuring a quality experience for the customer.
  2. Incorporate coaching into the company culture. If call center employees only receive coaching following a poor performance, this can create tension and resistance to feedback. Implementing coachable moments or providing guidance on a routine basis can destigmatize feedback and improve customer service.
  3. Track and recognize improvements. Employees may feel pressured or lose motivation if they feel like big brother is always watching. If employees only receive critique, they will focus their efforts on staying off the radar rather than providing superior service. Critiques may help employees improve enough to receive acceptable scores, but recognition helps them reach their full potential.
  4. Use selective hiring practices. If a call center continually fails to meet KPIs despite extensive training and coaching, the company may not be selective enough during their hiring process. Identifying traits and characteristics of call center employees that deliver consistent high-quality services can help ensure a call center’s success.

Call centers that frustrate customers are disastrous for businesses. Nearshore call centers often outperform their offshore counterparts due to familiarity with the customer’s culture. This improves their ability to empathize with the customer and eliminates language barriers. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how our nearshore call center services can benefit your business.

How Insurance Providers Use Texting to Add Value

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November 23rd, 2020

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As technology advances, insurance providers need to pivot to keep up with shifting customer expectations. Insurers must remain relevant and innovative, as customer loyalty is a fickle thing in the insurance industry. A single bad customer service experience or technology frustration can nudge long-time customers to explore their options.

New Technology Needs

Providing superior service and support requires a modern, multi-pronged approach. For example, if the primary form of communicating with customers is email, the provider isn’t likely to see significant engagement. Even social media has its limits due to filters, oversaturation, and algorithms. While email and social media marketing are still relevant, text messaging has better potential for niche marketing.

Insurance providers that expand their communication channels to include texting can add value to their services, products, and more for their customers. The following are some of the ways insurance companies can use texting:

  1. Appointment reminders. The claims process is hectic and hard to understand for those outside of the industry. Policyholders are under an unusual degree of stress following a loss, and they may forget when the appraiser is supposed to arrive, where they’re supposed to take their vehicle, etc. With texting, insurance companies can send reminders to help insureds keep track of everything they need to know about their upcoming appointments. This eases stress, reduces missed appointments, and provides a personalized touch.
  2. Marketing analytics can provide lucrative insight into policyholders’ purchasing behavior. For instance, many insureds bundle their home and auto policies for a discount. The data may show this demographic often needs special coverage for valuable personal property. While homeowners’ insurance has some coverage for jewelry, it often has a cap that may not provide full coverage. Sending a text message about valuable personal property insurance to protect the loss or theft of an engagement ring can bring in more business than an email would likely achieve. Automating text messages to trigger based on new policies can deliver the information in a timely manner when the insured still has their policy information fresh in their minds.
  3. Claim updates. The claims process isn’t always clear to policyholders, which can leave them frustrated and uncertain. While a mobile app can provide this information as well, it’s better customer service to alert the policyholder that the update exists. If the customer knows their insurance company will keep them up to date, it eliminates the need to frequently check an app or make a phone call through a convoluted phone tree.
  4. Other important updates. Insurance companies can send out reminders and alerts to help customers avoid a lapse in coverage, to notify them of coverage gaps, or to inquire about irregularities in their policies (e.g., unusually high or low deductibles that can affect their finances).
  5. Save money. If a significant weather event is approaching, insurance companies can text helpful information to policyholders to mitigate damages and losses. They can also send out guidelines on what to do following a loss from a covered event to reduce the severity of the damage (e.g., how to prevent flood damage from worsening).

Text messaging can give insurance companies an edge over the competition by providing personalized service, superior support, and timely product recommendations. To learn more about the benefits of text and chat support for your insurance company, contact the experts at Actec.

5 Ways Text Communication Improves Insurance Claims

Posted on

November 9th, 2020

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Insurance providers know that first notice of loss (FNOL) plays a critical role in customer satisfaction for the duration of any given claim. However, any bottlenecks or frustrations can tank customer loyalty. Retaining existing customers costs much less than trying to secure new ones, so it behooves insurance providers to keep their existing client base happy. One of the easiest methods to achieve this is to enable text communication between claim adjusters and customers.

Claim adjusters can harness the usefulness of texting in the following ways:

  1. Reduce error-related delays. Insureds aren’t well-versed in insurance documentation. The effort involved is often cumbersome and frustrating. Their irritation intensifies over denials related to small clerical errors. Text message communication allows insurance adjusters to review documents and help customers make any necessary corrections before submitting the paperwork.
  2. Simplify sharing photos and videos. Following a loss, having a picture or video of the damage helps adjusters get a jumpstart on the claim. However, many images and video files are too large to attach to emails. Many insurers allow their customers to upload files via a mobile app, but this isn’t helpful if the insured doesn’t already have the app on their phone. Waiting for an app to download, creating a login, and figuring out where to upload photos will annoy the customer when texting is so much faster and easier.
  3. Eliminate lengthy voicemails and missed calls. Customers don’t like listening to long-winded voicemails, and many don’t check their inbox at all. According to a report by Adobe, email communication fares better with an open rate of 20-30%. However, text message communication blows both out of the water with a whopping 98% open rate. Texting often yields faster communication as well, as most people open texts within three seconds of receiving them.
  4. Enhanced accessibility. Most customers have a smartphone and know how to text with ease. This isn’t always the case when it comes to navigating a mobile app or attaching documents to an email. Texting is also beneficial for customers with hearing loss. Texting gives adjusters access to almost every customer, which allows them to deliver superior service.
  5. Streamline commonly asked questions. Insureds aren’t always familiar with their coverage, and the claims process can leave them with more questions than answers. Calling their insurance company, navigating a phone tree, and sitting on hold to get an answer for a basic question provides a subpar experience. Text communication allows customer support agents to field these questions while also producing a written record of the exchange. This frees up insurance adjusters’ time so they can focus on claim-related issues.

Text message communication provides benefits for both the customer and the insurance adjuster. It improves workflow while delivering superior customer support. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how text communication can improve FNOL and claims management for your insurance company.

4 Ways to Improve Call Center Communication

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October 26th, 2020

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Investing in a call center can save companies hours of time while boosting productivity. However, how businesses communicate with their call centers will determine the effectiveness of this service. Business leaders should use the following strategies to reduce miscommunications with call center employees:

  1. Look for communication breakdowns or miscommunication bottlenecks. According to the Harvard Business Review, more than half of employees indicate the directions they receive at work are unclear or too vague. If half of the call center employees aren’t sure what their employer wants from them or what the business’ top priorities are, they may struggle to provide high-quality service.
  2. Keep emails to a minimum. Employees waste hours of their day clearing out their inbox of unnecessary emails. Most employees report that excessive emails take up too much time and affect their ability to focus on their top priority tasks. It’s also possible for important emails to get lost among the dozens of other emails vying for employees’ attention. Seeing a massive list of unread emails can tank employee motivation and morale as well. While email communication is sometimes necessary, businesses should limit the overall number of emails they send to employees.
  3. Encourage open communication within teams. Many businesses have a hierarchy of responsibility, which can make call center employees feel incapable of speaking up to their team leaders when they notice an issue. Cultivating an environment where employees feel comfortable with two-way communication within their team can identify problems, improve morale, and foster innovative ideas.
  4. Schedule team-building exercises. Creating a sense of community within the workplace is more challenging than ever in a COVID-19 environment. With so many people working from home with limited opportunities for socializing, call center employees can rapidly feel disconnected from their team. Businesses should consider virtual or outdoor team building activities that can comply with social distancing recommendations to keep up team spirit. These exercises can also help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Improving communication has a direct effect on productivity, employee engagement, and workplace morale. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how our nearshore call centers can help your business.

5 Tips for Hiring the Best Call Center

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September 14th, 2020

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Many growing businesses turn to call centers to handle the influx of customer service calls. This allows their employees to spend more time on providing specialized services or focusing on other, high-priority tasks. However, switching to a call center represents a significant change in company culture and employee responsibility so businesses need to make sure they contract with a call center that best meets their needs.

The following are some guiding principles for identifying top tier call centers:

  1. Make security a top priority. Many call centers have moved to the cloud for several reasons. It’s easier to install technology and render services that way. It’s also a good fit for businesses that have agents operating at multiple sites. However, companies will want to make sure their data is secure as well as investigate what redundancies and data recovery the call center offers in the event of a disaster.
  2. Look for compassion. Businesses need more than a person to answer a ringing phone. They need a friendly voice to help answer customers’ questions or resolve their issues. This is particularly important in the insurance industry when handling calls related to a loss. First notice of loss (FNOL) is the single greatest opportunity for securing customer satisfaction. Having a compassionate agent can help achieve that goal.
  3. Ensure a call center’s services align with business goals. Businesses should identify what they need from a call center and compare providers that meet their established criteria. Creating this short-list in advance saves time by avoiding interviews with providers that don’t offer the necessary services. This is particularly important for businesses that require special features like chat support or around the clock services.
  4. Meet with the call center. A provider may check every box from security to friendliness to specialty services and still fall short of the mark. Several providers may look good on paper, but businesses need to perform their due diligence by taking a tour of the call center’s facilities. If the call center’s leadership and management style differ vastly from a company’s culture, there could be significant clashes later.
  5. Determine how much location matters. Call centers can be offshore, nearshore, or onshore. Onshore call centers often have restrictions on hours of operation either due to time zones or expense. While offshore call centers are often cheaper, there can be a significant cultural divide that can cause friction between customers and the company. Nearshore call centers offer the best of both worlds by having similar cultural experiences and decent proximity for business meetings while providing enough distance to cover more hours of service.

Outsourcing calls gives companies a competitive edge for several reasons. For example, if one business has a customer service line and the other does not, potential customers are more likely to opt for the option they can call with their questions. Customers also prefer businesses that offer extended hours for customer service calls beyond the traditional 9:00 to 5:00. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how investing in a nearshore call center can improve your business.