Choosing a Call Center? Five Must-Ask Questions
This fall promises to be one of the busiest in history for health insurers with the flurry of Health Insurance Exchanges (HIE), Annual Election Period (AEP) and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Unanswered calls to insurance companies by potential customers will become forfeited opportunities that may never be reclaimed. Many companies will rely on call centers to handle their call overflow, many for the first time. Consider these five questions when selecting a call center:
1. TECHNOLOGY: Does their technology meet your needs?
The complexity of the insurance industry calls for innovative technology solutions: practical solutions that improve the process for agents and customers alike, and proactive solutions that are flexible enough to handle diverse responsibilities in intuitive ways. Can their call center directly connect your callers with agents in the field instantly? Can they track responses at the individual record level? Do they offer dashboards and reporting in real time?
2. TRAINING EXCELLENCE: Are their CSRs well-trained on Medicare and your plan’s protocols?
Harper Lee wrote in To Kill a Mockingbird, “We’re paying the highest tribute you can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It’s that simple.” Like Atticus Finch, trust in the training call center agents receive is a key consideration in a partner. After all, they represent your Medicare plan(s), your brand and your relationships. Could your call center partner handle the scrutiny of a CMS audit?
3. AGENT EXPERIENCE: How experienced are their CSRs?
Exerience is critical in the insurance industry. Experienced agents could mean the difference between a successful sales campaign and a failed one. Because AEP is condensed, inexperienced agents shouldn’t gain the necessary experience on the fly.
4. QUALITY & COMPLIANCE Is a robust quality and compliance program with metrics reporting in place?
Quality and compliance go hand-in-hand. Everyone’s accountable to CMS. A good compliance program protects clients, plan members and prospective members alike.
5. ADAPTABILITY: How much flexibility and input is permitted?
Flexibility and adaptability are the bread & butter of a vendor partnership, particularly when responsibilities are outsourced. Will you have access to a support team when needed? Such access ensures seamless support of day-to-day campaign challenges. A high-quality support team is agile, adaptable and attentive to detail. Partnering with an experienced call center helps you stay competitive, provides excellent caller experiences, and helps grow your membership.
Resources
The Bloom Call Center is licensed in 48 contiguous states and offers marketing, call center and technology solutions to the health care industry. Since 2007, Bloom has participated in over 55 million conversations about insurance products, submitted over 200,000 applications for insurance, and set over 150,000 appointments for seniors to meet with Licensed Agents. Bloom is a proud partner of Gorman Health Group. Click here to learn more.