Paul Shires looks at the role customer service plays in helping providers to stand out from the crowd.
Meanwhile employees are facing the reality of an increase in self-funded treatment and a decrease in the availability of some NHS services such as ‘non-urgent’ surgery and even delays in GP consultations.
Education system
While not immediately obvious as a customer service tool, educating brokers about the kinds of cover available and how your company’s products can meet the changing healthcare needs of the corporate world, is essential.
Sufficient education equips the intermediary with the in-depth knowledge required to advise clients in the current unpredictable healthcare environment. And, it provides them with the materials they need to answer their clients’ questions about how a particular plan or product could impact on their workforce.
Equally, education can serve to inspire a broker by presenting him or her with sales angles and tools that they may not necessarily have been aware of, or had access to before.
For example, existing clients with a small percentage of the workforce already covered by PMI may have already been dismissed by the broker for new sales. But, with the right education and knowledge about what other products are available and how they work, the intermediary could find that there’s a large group of employees without any cover at all, all of whom would benefit from a cash plan.
We live in a digital world now and as more people become accustomed to accessing company information and communicating directly with brands online, customer service techniques are also having to evolve.
According to research, seven in 10 people in the UK now own a smartphone and 22% of adults own a tablet. This surge in the popularity of mobile devices means a large proportion of the population are accessing information online, and it’s no different for brokers and their clients.
Whether it’s a Tweet directed at a provider, a LinkedIn status update about a good or bad experience, or an information video about a policy – audiences are increasingly demanding more online content from the companies they deal with.
So, for providers, embracing technology and digital platforms to enhance the experience of both the intermediary and their client should be a natural next step.
Time is money and information supplied on demand through digital media can only help to speed up the process of selling, giving brokers fast access to plan details and premium structure at the touch of a button.
Providing comprehensive and easy to understand web resources for employers and their staff to use once they’re covered is crucial. From details about how the plan can help individuals with specific health problems, to introducing online services such as internet GP consultations and health screening programmes, providers should be embracing technology and digital media in order to maximise their customers’ experiences.
Monitoring social media channels also plays a key role in customer service. Gone are the days when platforms such as Twitter and Facebook were labelled as a fad or dismissed as unessential. Social media is being used every minute of every day by millions of people, to talk about the brands they love and hate, and to question companies about their services and products - and users expect a prompt response.
Be it brokers, employers or employees asking the questions, once you’re online the two-way channels are open and there’s no hiding. Providers’ social media outlets need to be intrinsically linked with customer service so that quick, helpful and well-informed replies to comments and queries are issued successfully.
Of course, it’s not possible to be perfect all the time. Acting quickly and professionally when things go wrong is essential and can be a company’s saving grace.
Studies show that while a satisfied customer will tell two or three people about their experience, a dissatisfied customer will tell between eight and ten. However, if a customer’s complaint is dealt with quickly and fairly, an estimated 80% of unhappy customers will return – rising to 90% if the company responds immediately.
A strong relationship between the provider, the broker and the employer is vital in ensuring problems are communicated and addressed as quickly as possible, in a way that suits all involved parties.
There are numerous challenges facing our industry at present and many hurdles for insurers to jump, from adapting to the changing healthcare system, to keeping up with the constant advances in technology and the way people communicate.
But by remembering that customers are the lifeblood of any organisation, and not losing focus on giving both intermediaries and their clients the levels of service they deserve, providers can achieve a sense of stability and a strong reputation.
A good provider knows how to learn from its mistakes and welcomes feedback – good or bad. It knows how to listen to that feedback and use it to shape its services for the better, ensuring continuous improvement and more relevant products, backed up by consistently satisfied customers.
Paul Shires is sales and marketing director at Westfield Health
