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