Insurance customers expect a hybrid insurance experience — and agents and brokers can provide this for them. Today’s policyholders have higher expectations than ever before and they are familiar with using intuitive, advanced tech in their personal lives. Insurers and agents are not only competing with each other, they are being compared with the digital experiences consumers have with services like Google, Uber, and Amazon.
Read on to learn more about how to create a hybrid insurance experience for your policyholders.
How to Create a Hybrid Insurance Experience
Consider the omnichannel experience that already exists for your policyholders. They may use a digital portal to make payments directly to their insurers or to manage a claim. But they may also call your office to ask questions, get ID cards, or make a change to their policy. This omnichannel experience may serve many of your insured’s needs as they can pick what type of support they need for any given situation. But to create a hybrid insurance experience, you can add to this omnichannel experience.
Here are some ways to supplement your policyholder journey with a hybrid experience:
Ensure the transition between the online and offline experience is seamless for customers.
Policyholders should have a seamless, easy transition to a human support person from an online chatbot. Integrate your portal and other systems so customers do not need to repeat information or answer the same questions to a live agent after entering the information online. Creating a smooth experience as policyholders switch from one channel to another is a critical part of a hybrid insurance experience. The digital and traditional processes should complement each other.
Offer policyholders the option between a live consultation and a virtual one.
Leverage technology to offer digital meetings to discuss coverage and options. Offer policyholders the choice to schedule a virtual call or to meet you in person — some people may prefer to have an in-person meeting if their needs are complex or if they have lots of questions while others want the convenience of a virtual meeting. Be ready to offer an in-person follow-up session if you feel the virtual one did not meet the customer’s needs. Flexibility is key when providing an excellent hybrid insurance experience.
Use digital tools combined with your expertise to create personalized recommendations.
AI tools can help you personalize coverage recommendations for your policyholders, but it is still important to add your expert guidance. Start with the digital tool then review it to see how you can add personalized services and advice for your customers. Digital tools provide a good start with data analytics and insights gathered from customer information, profiles, and behavior and the expert additions from agents turn the recommendations into personalized advice.
Integrate a blend of automated and human support.
Offer policyholders a way to make payments online, but also give simple ways to call a representative or mail a check. Integrate document management into digital portals so customers can print their ID cards or upload documents to support their claim, but also give them alternative methods. Automate billing reminders through SMS or push notifications and send traditional invoices. By giving policyholders multiple ways to interact with you, you can create many touchpoints to improve customer satisfaction.
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External Links:
- https://www.insurancethoughtleadership.com/our-partners/your-customer-portal-good-enough
- https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/future-insurance-hybrid-sales-experience
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/vital-sales-skills-flexibility-listening-your-clients-andrea-fortuna/
