How to Integrate Tech Throughout the Customer Life Cycle

Online marketing. Social media prospecting. Comparative rating.

Is that where your agency’s technology touch points with customers end?

The independent agency distribution channel has a huge opportunity to provide what all consumers are looking for: an “omni-channel” experience that integrates the digital interaction consumers expect while leveraging the “trusted advisor” role only an independent agent can truly deliver.

In order to succeed, agents and brokers must implement technology solutions across all phases of the consumer’s insurance journey: discovery, evaluation, purchase, experience, renewal and advocacy.

But many agents either do not have a strategic plan that encompasses the right steps in each phase, or aren’t aware of all the solutions available to them. The Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT) has created a customer experience work group comprised of volunteers from agencies, carriers, vendors and other associations and user groups with the objective of creating a roadmap for independent agents and their carriers to deliver an outstanding customer experience at each stage of the customer’s journey—one that stands out from what the competing distribution systems are able to offer.

The ACT work group has completed extensive research and discussion to document the critical agent technology touch points prospects and clients experience across each phase of the insurance journey. The group is now working to create a Best Practices recommendations document for agent and broker use and has also engaged a volunteer group of pilot agents who are currently using some specific recommendations and reporting their experiences, before creating a final recommendation document.

Of course, agents must keep in mind that these steps are not independent of one another—they must consider each one as a potential piece of an overall ongoing strategy. All independent agencies now operate inside a digital world of connected consumers that is constantly evolving, and how they do business must reflect that. This does not mean agents should discard some of the existing contact and service avenues that provide value to their customers—rather that they should supplement those with new digital support experiences that meet the customer how, when and where they want to be.

DISCOVERY

In this first phase, a consumer is just becoming aware they have a need for insurance. It could be a young adult just moving out on his or her own, or someone who has just started or taken over a business. These people share a need for clear, easy direction and education on available insurance options and often rely heaving on Internet resources, such as Google and insurance websites. If agencies and brokerages are not immediately visible, consumers will not consider them.

Recommendations

Agencies must maintain a strong online presence and ongoing engagement in order to rank as high as possible in search engine results through the following avenues:

• Website
• Social media
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• TrustedChoice.com
• Local search best practices
• Keyword ranking
• Blog content

EVALUATION

This phase finds the consumer refining their research, looking for a match that suits his or her specific needs—an important opportunity for agents and brokers to stand out from direct writers and captive agents. During this phase, consumers are looking closely at the specific agency websites they have found: evaluating website content, reading online reviews and blogs and seeking education about product offerings. According to comScore’s U.S. Smartphone Subscriber Market Share Report, more than 50% of consumers now begin their research from a mobile platform—primarily a smartphone. If the website a consumer attempts to view does not feature responsive design—meaning the website adjusts its size and design to accommodate different devices—66% of consumers depart immediately.

Recommendations

Agencies must ensure their websites are mobile-enabled, with a responsive design that clearly displays critical contact, product, location and other information. Agencies should also utilize social media integration to ensure the agency’s presence is visible to consumers using those channels. The agency can also utilize consumer quoting functionality on their website to gather consumer data necessary for a quote, taking advantage of alerts that enable agency staff to contact consumers immediately.

PURCHASE

In this phase that converts a consumer to a customer, speed and ease of doing business is crucial. This is where an agency can truly enact a partnership by not only providing the experience the customer has come to expect from their other business interactions, but also exceeding consumer expectations. A variety of technology tools can enable this immediate access and response.

Recommendations

The agency should take advantage of front-end tools to engage the customer, such as online chat platforms and 24/7 availability. During the quoting phase, agents can utilize either comparative rating or management system quoting software to offer instant rates, provided they use these tools as part of a larger conversation about the value of various product features beyond simply price. Using e-signature capability and electronic policy delivery enables customers to sign documents when and where they are available, further enhancing the independent agent’s role as trusted advisor.

EXPERIENCE

Once a consumer becomes a customer, agencies have the opportunity to truly shine. Today’s digital world has significantly increased and streamlined opportunities for making agent/customer touch points and providing useful information.

Recommendations

In addition to building on subject matter expertise through agency videos, blogs and podcasts, agencies can offer a full-access customer portal for customers to obtain necessary policy documents, providing access to carrier documents while keeping the customer engaged with the agency. Offering a mobile application can help by adding a one-stop shop for customers who need contact information, claims functions and other policy documents. Finally, implementing “push” notifications via text could involve notifying customers of an impending storm or sharing post-storm claim information. Effectively addressing the needs of the connected consumer requires a highly responsive and proactive approach.

Agencies can and should use technology to enable a conversation between the agency and their client, building on the relationship to differentiate the independent agent experience. Using digital and technology platforms and keeping track of frequent touch points and important life events can be a huge differentiator.

RENEWAL OR DEPARTURE

We all know how easy it is for an existing customer to shop around—we’re constantly bombarded by direct writer advertising encouraging consumers to save 10–15% in as little as seven minutes. Agents must seize this phase’s opportunity to proactively reach out to clients before their renewal and provide value-added services that set them apart.

Recommendations

Agencies should use the website quoting software discussed in the Evaluation phase, set notifications to recognize existing customers who are re-quoting and contact them in real time to discuss their needs in more detail. They should also use management system download and reporting functionality to proactively reach out to clients to explain a renewal increase before they receive notification—a strategy agencies could accomplish using a virtual review via platforms like Skype or FaceTime.

ADVOCACY

In this phase, the client has all the experience they need to make a choice to become an advocate for the agency—or not. Client advocacy can be a powerful tool to highlight an agency’s value and attract additional customers.

Recommendations

Agencies should consistently post customer reviews on their website and encourage clients to write a review for social platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, Yelp and others. Agencies can also utilize video testimonials from willing customers. This is an even more powerful tool for integration in websites, emails and social media. Taking advantage of platforms like blogs can further highlight what agents and brokers are doing in their communities, demonstrating their philosophy, value system and local presence. It’s about being social, instead of just doing social.

These recommendations are just a small sample of the forthcoming Best Practices from ACT’s customer experience work group. But it should provide agents and brokers with a solid sense of the opportunities available to help them stand out among the competition by providing the “omni-channel” experience that direct writers and captive carriers cannot.