Tag: fnol blog

4 Blunders Companies Make When Communicating With Customers

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January 25th, 2022

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Exceptional customer service is essential for an insurance company to succeed. Customers want to feel like a valued client rather than a file number, and they want rapid answers to their questions. They also place a premium on hassle-free claims. However, many insurance companies make several missteps when communicating with their customers. Miscommunications lead to frustration and a poor customer experience.

The following are some of the typical blunders insurance companies make when communicating with insureds:

  1. Chronic understaffing. Customers hate waiting on hold. They hate it even more when they have an urgent problem, such as a car accident or loss. It degrades customer loyalty to have consistently long wait times, as they feel undervalued. Call logs can provide actionable insight for staffing needs by determining when call volumes are highest.
  2. Limited communication options. It’s not always possible for an insured to call in a claim, and many prefer other communication channels altogether. For simple policy questions, some insureds would rather contact chat support. Others prefer email to maintain a record of communication. Customers expect to have several communication channels available to them, including phone, email, a mobile app, text, and chat support.
  3. Lack of adequate training. Customer service representatives need to be experts when it comes to the insurance products the company carries, how to answer questions about various policies, and how to navigate the claims process from FNOL to resolution. In addition to being knowledgeable, service representatives need soft skills, such as empathy and problem-solving.
  4. Not providing support 24/7. Accidents and losses don’t contain themselves to typical working hours. Insured need a way to establish first notice of loss (FNOL) wherever and whenever the incident occurs. If an insured can’t receive the help they need during a crisis, they’re likely to look for a new insurance provider. Insurance providers can meet this customer need by investing in a nearshore call center.

Nearshore call centers provide the benefits of an offshore service without the headaches. Nearshore service representatives are familiar with the customer’s culture and can respond with the appropriate empathy for the situation. Contact Actec to learn more about the benefits of a nearshore call center.

4 Traits Call Centers Need for Effective Crisis Communication

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December 21st, 2021

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Insurance providers need a call center that can handle all their incoming calls, particularly when it comes to emergencies. When insureds initiate first notice of loss (FNOL), they’ve often experienced a high-stress incident. From house fires to car accidents, insurance call centers need to have the skillset to navigate customer crises. Here are several characteristics of call centers that communicate effectively during a crisis:

  1. High call volume preparedness. Some crises affect a significant number of customers. For example, hurricanes can damage property and vehicles. Insureds may find themselves homeless while waiting on repairs. Call centers need to have the capacity to handle a sudden influx of calls, particularly for imminent covered perils.
  2. Crisis management experience. Not every industry needs call centers with experience handling emergencies. Insurance companies need a call center staffed with agents that understand how to perform FNOL intake during a crisis and how to respond appropriately to frantic customers. Similarly, agents need to be able to identify a true emergency. What seems critical to a customer may not require immediate action. In those instances, agents need to know how to diffuse the situation and help customers navigate the next steps of their claim.
  3. Strong emotional intelligence. During a crisis, call center agents need to be able to identify how the customer is feeling and respond with empathy. Customers will likely be upset or angry during a crisis, and call center agents need to know how to contain the situation without allowing their emotions to affect the level of service they provide.
  4. Insurance providers need a call center that can adapt to meet their needs. Increased call volumes during a crisis often require additional agents to field all the calls in a timely manner. Some call centers achieve this by having agents on-call or tapping into a work-from-home network.

Accidents happen, and it’s not always possible to predict when disaster will strike. Insurance companies need a call center that can handle critical situations whenever they arise. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about our nearshore contact center services.

How to Overcome Chat Customer Service Challenges

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October 26th, 2021

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Customers expect businesses to offer several channels of communication, including through social media, email, phone calls, and chat support. Chat support is particularly effective in securing customer satisfaction and loyalty when done well. However, chat customer service has unique communication challenges that can damage the customer’s experience and perception of the company.

The following are the most common challenges that can trip up customer service agents while chatting with a customer:

Misunderstandings

Whether the customer doesn’t understand the message or the service rep fails to grasp the problem, misunderstandings can occur on both sides of the conversation. Agents should always ask for clarification rather than making assumptions about the situation. Agents that ask specific questions and use active listening techniques can get the conversation back on track.

Impersonal Interactions

Personalization plays a critical role in customer satisfaction, but it’s easy to lose in chat communication. Compounding the problem, customers can tell when an agent gives them a scripted answer to their inquiry. Using friendly greetings, referring to the customer by name, and engaging in the conversation all show the customer they are more than a ticket number.

Tone Issues

People rely on inflection, gestures, and facial expressions to interpret the tone of a conversation. Without these social cues, chat communication can come across as blunt, cold, or outright hostile. Establishing a company-wide tone for customer communication can help alleviate the issue. For example, a company that brands itself as energetic and friendly can use language to reflect that while chatting with customers.

Empathy and efficiency are critical for successful chat communication. Customers expect agents to be knowledgeable, friendly, and fast problem solvers. Effective chat customer service can meet all these needs. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about implementing chat services.

4 Proven Ways to Deliver an Excellent Customer Experience

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October 13th, 2021

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Positive customer experiences drive the success of all insurance companies. A recent survey from Microsoft found that the overwhelming majority (95%) of customers base their loyalty on the quality of service they receive. Other surveys report similar statistics across all industries, which underscore the importance of providing an excellent experience during every customer interaction.

With the pandemic keeping many people at home, customers are shopping online and reaching out to customer support more than ever. Whether they need help deciding on which product to purchase or need clarification on their policy, customer service representatives need to deliver the best service possible. Here are several methods customer service representatives can use to provide consistent, high-quality service:

  1. Know the products. Customers don’t often understand their policies or their coverage needs as well as they should. They need a knowledgeable agent to guide their purchasing decisions and clarify any questions they may have. Agents that recommend supplemental policies to prevent coverage gaps, bundles to help save the customer money, and tips that lower the customer’s insurance costs will be far more effective than agents that can only regurgitate a memorized script.
  2. Embrace creative problem-solving. Creative problem-solving is a much sought-after soft skill, and it requires looking beyond a quick fix. Customer service agents that thrive on finding solutions will advance customer loyalty much more than agents that focus on the customer’s policy limitations.
  3. Strive for positive communication. Customers often call their insurance providers after they experience a loss, and their emotions are running high. Agents that remain calm, friendly, and empathetic can help the customer deescalate to navigate the claim process. If a customer initiates communication through chat or text, customer service agents must remain aware that tone doesn’t always convey through these channels. Using friendly punctuation, humor, or emojis can imbue their words with warmth and compassion.
  4. Respond quickly, resolve thoroughly. Customers value their time, and they do not appreciate waiting on hold or navigating a convoluted phone tree before even broaching their problem. Agents need to respond as soon as a customer reaches out on all platforms, including calls, messages, and texts. However, customers don’t want agents to rush while resolving their problems. Respond promptly and investigate carefully to secure ongoing customer loyalty.

Customer service representatives are the first responders to customer inquiries. Insurance companies need a top-tier call center to deliver the quality of service the modern customer expects. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how our nearshore call center solutions can improve the customer experience.

6 Reasons Why Customers Prefer Chat and Text Support

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September 28th, 2021

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Customers contact their insurance provider through a variety of channels; however, chat support is dominating the field. In the next year, experts project that chat support will increase by 87% across all sectors. Certain industries may see even higher growth as consumer demand rises. Consumers prefer to engage via chat and text over all other digital platforms, and insurance companies can’t afford to overlook these tools.

The single greatest reason customers prefer chat interactions over email, web portals, and other digital communication channels is the convenience. However, their interests and preferences are more nuanced than that. Here are several reasons why customers prefer chat and text support:

  1. Instant access. Chat and text support connects the customer with an agent immediately. The customer doesn’t need to navigate an app, a convoluted phone tree, or wait 24-48 hours for an email response.
  2. Short wait times. Nothing is more infuriating for a customer than finally getting through to an agent just to be put on hold. Customers have a low threshold for frustration, and chat and text support circumvent this by providing fast service.
  3. Historical data. Recording a call for quality assurance is great in theory, but it’s tedious in practice. Agents or managers have to listen to the call or rely on voice translators to find the information they need. With text and chat, the data is easy to find with a simple search.
  4. Fast resolutions. Customers usually contact customer service when they have a problem. They expect rapid solutions, which isn’t typically possible with other digital platforms like email or social media.
  5. Time considerate. Customers hate sitting on hold, as it takes up time they could use to complete other tasks. While chat and text wait times are much shorter than other communication channels, customers can have another browser window open or return to their work while waiting for a response.
  6. Immediate answers for policy- or claim-related questions. Waiting on hold or going through multiple transfers to receive answers to basic questions is frustrating. Customers want instantaneous answers when they have questions about their policy or want an update on their claim, which isn’t possible without chat or text communication channels.

Meeting customer needs and expectations is critical to securing their loyalty. Providing chat and text communication allows customers to engage with their insurance provider when and how they prefer. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about implementing chat and text communication channels.

5 Biggest Trends Transforming Call Centers

Posted on

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 Digital Claims Management and FNOL

Posted on

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 option for FNOL 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.

4 Ways COVID-19 Changed Insurance Buying Habits

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February 23rd, 2021

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The pandemic has changed several aspects of society, from how people gather to how children attend school and even how consumers purchase insurance. While factors such as age, location, and income all influence insurance purchases, recent consumer surveys have identified several trends regardless of demographics. Some of the most significant trends include:

  1. Fewer life events. Life events that typically drive insurance purchases, such as weddings and having children, aren’t happening during the pandemic. Many consumers are delaying these things in favor of waiting out COVID-19. Many are also dealing with unemployment or a reduced income, meaning they have less cashflow for insurance purchases.
  2. Increased desire for life insurance. Over half of American consumers see a greater need for life insurance due to the pandemic. However, while more people want life insurance, traditional underwriting requirements like medical exams are harder to complete. Unsurprisingly, half of the consumers indicated they’d be more likely to buy a life insurance policy that uses simplified underwriting.
  3. Consumers are shopping around. Over one-third of consumers plan to shop around for or switch to a new auto insurance provider. Reduced cash flow is once again the driving factor behind this trend. It’s a direct reflection of the desire to keep insurance costs down to save money.
  4. Consumers prefer digital channels. Nearly 60% of consumers used a digital platform to shop for auto insurance. Digital channels were growing in popularity before the pandemic, but they’re in high demand now to stay socially distant while shopping.

Having digital channels to engage with customers meets their preferences and needs. It helps improve customer loyalty and can give businesses an edge over carriers that don’t offer digital options. Actec’s text and chat support solution can help answer questions customers may have, streamline communication, and more. Contact Actec to learn more about integrating text and chat support.

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.

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.