INSURANCE 2.0

Waiting in phone queues and reading automated emails is not the best way to experience customer serivice from Insurance companies. With high speed internet and mass adoption of social networks, many businesses like Dell have found a new way of customer service using Twitter.

Why Twitter is useful for Insurance 2.0 customer service?

Speed of Communication

Customer service can be improved significantly if there are no waiting times on the phone or email. Secondly using twitter is much cheaper for the insurance businesses which are usually bulky. Twitter tweets are instant and available for public viewing and searchable.

Reduced Operation Cost

I’m not suggesting to close down insurance call centers and replace it with Twitter, but it’ll be an interesting mix to try them in parallel and compare the benefits. Insurance business can run a pilot of using twitter for customer service. Twitter reduces scope of confusing the customer with over usage of words and jargon.

Use Existing Staff

Existing staff to be used for training to use twitter so that the staff can compare both the experience of communicating on the phone and communicating on twitter. Customer service staff can see responses of users upfront and be motivated.  

Insurance Brand Image

The first insurance business to start using twitter for customer service will receive a lot of positive PR and brand image.

Many brands in industries outside insurance with large call centers have identified twitter as the way forward for customer service and reaping benefits.

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1 in 8 users spend 20 mins of their internet time on facebook once a week. Close to two-thirds users belong to some or other social networking website. Most users think insurance industry is uncool and old. The preferred method of communicating with insurance companies is phone going through to call center. On a survey by KRC research it was found that phone is the dominant method to communicate with the insurance company because there isn’t much alternatives available. Many users on the survey suggested a web based support is their preferred method of customer service but most businesses don’t offer an efficient customer help online.

Insurance 2.0 method of customer service is more likely to use the following tools:

• Web based customer support - An intuitive FAQ engine with smart search enabled. Clear and concise help categories explaining the customer each every little detail in plain non-insurance jargon.
• Live Chats - live chats don’t always work if not implemented correctly. Proactive chat when customer is idle on the screen for sometime and reactive chat when customer is closing browser without purchasing.
• Blogs - insurance company blogs to explain changes in prices, answer questions and concerns is very useful to gain customers confidence.
• Automated phone responses - This reduces burden on call centre staff and enables callers to self help themselves.
• Mobile SMS - Communicate with customers to remind them of something urgent or promote something like renewals.

The above would encourage insurance businesses to bridge the gap with the web2.0 friendly customer.

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