The pandemic sent nearly everyone home to work, to learn, and to get reacquainted with their family. While travel and traffic slowed down, work did not. The way people worked and communicated changed. In-person became online, and webcams became a necessity, not an afterthought. Call volume also increased dramatically. And during those early days, contact centers were sending people home or laying people off. Consumers needed to talk and ask questions, and no one was there.

Companies in all industries were experiencing high call volume, and agent capacity was dropping. Companies are better positioned to handle a future situation, but there will be times when high call volume is still an issue. And to be clear, it’s not a spike on a given day, but it’s when call volume exceeds the ability of the agents to answer within a sustained period of time.

Covid’s impact on the insurance industry saw the acceleration of digital innovation, though high call volume still impacts the industry as consumers spend more time on the phone. Is there a better experience for consumers? Can automation help?

Insurers are increasingly dependent on emerging technologies and data sources to drive efficiency, enhance cybersecurity, and expand capabilities across the organization. However, most should focus on improving the customer experience by both streamlining processes with automation as well as providing customized service where needed and preferred.—Deloitte

Web Chat Strategies

One of the challenges  that insurance call centers face is that any phone conversation is a one-to-one experience restricting an agent’s capacity to converse. Web chat allows multiple conversations to happen in unison, clearing call queues and helping more customers at once. Most agents can handle five to seven conversations at one time and if there are commonly asked questions, there are additional ways to increase efficiencies.

Canned messages can help agents with pre-populated answers to frequently asked questions whether it’s the types of documents or information requested by underwriting or types of policies offered by the brokerage.

Additionally, if conversations tend to be similar in nature, knowledge bases are an effective method for allowing customers to self-serve and get answers to their questions. And knowledge bases are not constrained by call center hours or TCPA, so they are available 24 hours a day.

But there are times when a customer needs to talk. In these cases, agents can use web chat to schedule meetings for agents or account representatives so instead of waiting for an available agent, they know exactly when they can talk.

As more customers initiate digital relationships with their insurance providers, there is the opportunity to streamline the filling out of forms by incorporating them into web chat. Whether it is health insurance, property and casualty, and more, web chat can collect information and streamline agency workflows.

In the case when a claim needs to be made, an auto accident for example, photos and documents can be shared through web chat and even SMS, reducing the need for snail mail or office visits. Video chat can also create real-time opportunities for insurance agencies to advise and counsel their policy holders.

SMS Examples

Using SMS is a logical extension for an agency’s team. One way to use it is if severe weather is predicted, an agency can send a blanket SMS message to property owners with details of what to do if there is property damage.

For an agent, utilizing SMS may be an easier method of staying in touch with clients. Gentle reminders like renewals or pitching annuities can be sent with a short, personal, text that facilitates a digital conversation.

Botsplash and Insurance

For any of the strategies or examples described above, agencies will want a tool that keeps conversations consolidated to a single platform, makes conversation easy, and is truly omnichannel. Botsplash provides the above and more, including Facebook Messenger, Google’s Business Messages, single-sign-on, and the ability to customize to each individual agent. Integration of the platform allows agencies to capture consumers organically from their website or the digital channels customers are already using. And when integrated into a marketplace, it provides high-intent leads directly to the agency.

Conclusion

Insurance is a complicated industry with many facets and layers that can create confusion for prospects and customers. But communication shouldn’t be complicated and with a tool like Botsplash, agencies can build long-lasting relationships and make conversations more efficient, particularly in high call volume situations. Agents and their customers have an easy and effective means to connect.

For more information about the platform and how it can help your agency, we encourage you to reach out and schedule some time with us. We’ll show you the ins and outs of the platform and how it can streamline and consolidate your conversations. At Botsplash, we help you be where your customers are.