Healthcare makes a huge difference in people’s lives – and so should its customer service. Customer-centric service that better cares for policyholders, doesn’t waste their time, and gives them more options can all add up to greater satisfaction and – with the right technology – even identifying symptoms over the phone. Just ask Ingrid Lindberg and Steve Decker, an unlikely duo who worked together to overhaul the customer service at a leading health insurance company. Listen to their story of transformation and how they used customer insights,
operations data, and more to discover what really matter in healthcare service.

Key Takeaways:

[5:02] Taking advantage of automated services can mean big financial gains, but fast service doesn’t always mean good service. 

[5:12] While self-service options might help reduce some call time, it’s not a one-size fits all option for customers. 

[9:25] In many cases, customers were looking for a live agent to speak to, and having a customer service representative at the right moment can have a huge impact on their lives. 

[12:34] When it comes to healthcare, contact centers are responsible for some very sensitive conversations. It’s important that those conversations are handled in the least invasive and most appropriate ways. 

[15:21] Customers need the option to opt out of self-service and to get the human touch they desire. 

[15:55] Ingrid’s analysis shows that on average, a consumer touches their healthcare company only once a year, in the form of a phone call. 

[18:53] The technology has changed tremendously and in good ways, but we still need the human touch and true empathy for the customer. With tools such as sentiment analysis, we can recognize what’s going on with the person at the moment and weave it elegantly into the conversation. 

[21:54] Earning trust is an investment, and customer service reps must be repeatable and reliable. 

[22:37] We have to stop treating customer service and especially contact centers as empty investments. If there are no members (at healthcare contact centers), there is no money and no CFOs. 

Quotes:

• [3:39] "This belief structure that I have had my entire career has always been wrapped around the fact that if we don't have customers, none of us deserve to have our jobs." - Ingrid [11:14] "in some cases, customers don't want to be bounced around and transferred. Every time you transfer a customer, you lose seven points of customer satisfaction. So what we piloted and tested was, let's cross-train some people. Let's just test it and see what happens." - Steve 
• [12:12] "In health care, contact centers are responsible for some very sensitive conversations. And it's important those conversations are handled in the least invasive and most appropriate ways." - James
• [12:48] “The sanctity around the calls is different from any other industry I have been in other than finance. People don't want to talk about their money, or their health care.” - Ingrid
• [13:43] "In healthcare, digital is becoming a major component of that experience, not only to help people understand their benefits and how to maneuver them but also to help them get some things transactionally solved. Automation, I think can play a big role in that." - Steve 
• [14:51] “Technology has just changed tremendously in very, very good ways.” - Steve 
• [15:21] “Regardless of the channel that you're talking about,  it’s not about knowing when to opt them out, but it’s about giving the option to just opt out.” - Ingrid

Continue on your journey:

• pega.com/podcast

Mentioned:

• Ingrid Lindberg 

As the options in customer service expand, opening self-service channels through email, text, and web, it might seem like the role of the service agent is becoming less necessary. Think
again. According to customer experience strategist Adam Toporek and customer service expert Nate Brown, the value of human interaction is higher than ever – if it’s used strategically. Listen as our guests discuss the right blend of automaton and human contact, getting creative when attracting talent, the importance of soft skills, evolved ways to capture insights, and more.

Key Takeaways:

[2:04] We are learning that the right blend of AI automation and human contact can get the customer exactly what they need. 

[2:29] Digital transformation is going to take a lot of the easy customer service interactions and automate them. This is going to leave time and hopefully give more opportunity for better, richer human interactions. 

[3;27] Call centers are becoming less central to customer service operations as contact centers become the new norm, but the human element is as important as ever. 

[3:39] Nate discusses how he starts in two places when trying to help a team accelerate their CX results: voice of employee, and then voice of customer. 

[6:07] Instead of trying to find the technology to create shortcuts, we need to find great and capable leadership to engage our workers to do their jobs to the best of their ability. 

[10:43] Leaders need to empower their agents so they can offer the right solution at the right moment, while understanding the limits of the agent role.

[12:32] Customer feedback is a beautiful opportunity for us to step up and be the guide in a really fun and unique way. 

[19:48] You have to let the person know you're being empathetic, which is a little bit different than just having the empathy internally. 

[23:48]  The seamless interaction between customer agent and tech is the future of customer service, but we have to create opportunities for our humans to shine. This means listening to the voice of the customer, and the employee, and it means training agents on human centered skills every bit as much as we train them on our tech. 

Quotes:

• [2:04] “We are learning that the right blend of AI automation and human contact can get the customer exactly what they need.” - James 
• [2:29] “Digital transformation is going to take a lot of the easy customer service interactions and automate them. This is going to leave time and hopefully give more opportunity for better, richer human interactions.” - Adam
• [6:33] “Transforming the role of customer service employees can't depend on quick fixes and shortcuts.” - James
• [10:43] “I will tell you right now that empowerment is simply a risk reward decision. There are limits to empowerment, and there is always the question of where those limits are.” - Adam 
• [12:04] “We should value those opportunities so much where we actually get to speak to our customers, and personally interact with them. What a gift that is.” - Nate 
• [19:48] “You have to let the person know you're being empathetic, which is a little bit different than just having the empathy internally.” - James 

Continue on your journey:

• pega.com/podcast

Mentioned:

• Adam Toporek
• Nate Brown
• Officevibe