4 Proven Ways to Deliver an Excellent Customer Experience

Posted on

October 13th, 2021

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.

5 Tips for Hiring the Best Call Center

Posted on

September 14th, 2020

Andrew

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Advantages of Domestic Call Centers

Posted on

June 11th, 2019

Andrew

Call centers provide the backbone to a wide variety of custom service operations throughout the world – from tech support and insurance claims to account management and even emergency response. Yet not all regions share the same languages, cultures, and styles of communication. Support from domestic call centers has proven more efficient and effective as there are fewer communication challenges due to the aforementioned reasons.

But the advantages of leveraging local and regional talent to support your organization in its call center apparatus extend far beyond improved communication – employing call center staff in communities where your customer reside helps them to relate to one another, creating a bond of trust and empathy that can be difficult to find in the internet age. Further, labor rights and job protections in the United States are far superior to those in most of the inexpensive developing nations commonly used in call center outsourcing. This makes domestic call center staffing both practical and ethical.

When retaining call center services for your organization, think about the importance of your client relationships and brand integrity. Opting for domestic call centers says as much about your intentions as an organization as it does about the quality of the services you provide. To learn more about call center operations, outsourcing, and the advantages of domestic call centers, contact us.

After-Hours Reporting

Posted on

April 27th, 2015

Andrew

An accident can happen at any hour of the day. Knowing the help you need is available outside of normal business hours is essential for your personal sense of security.

Most insurance agencies have a hotline that operates 24/7 with professionals waiting to come to your aide — day or night. Some even offer online reporting for an added convenience. After-hours reporting is a service that’s sometimes outsourced to a third party to free up time for company employees. In addition, there are several benefits to accommodating customers after 5 p.m.:

An accident can be reported at any time. There’s no waiting until the next day.
It creates trust between the victim and the insurance agency.
Benefits are delivered in a timely manner.

Accessible claim reporting is something most customers just expect of their insurance companies. Make sure your company’s system is flexible and designed based on the needs of your clients. For more information on how Actec can help you with an after-hours service, click here.