In this episode of ADJUSTED, Luella Alcorn discusses how her Business Engagement Team is changing the insurance customer experience.
Luella Alcorn is the Business Operations Manager for Berkley Industrial Comp. She leads the Business Engagement Team, a team of specialized, customer experience experts. Luella has 16 years of medical transcription experience and is a Certified Professional Coder. She has worked in the insurance industry for the past 6 years, beginning as a Medical Bill Auditor before moving into her roles as Business Operations Manager. Outside of work, Luella enjoys spending time with her husband, 4 children, and 5 grandchildren.
BE PREPARED FOR TECHNOLOGY TO CHANGE YOUR JOB: Although you may love your current position, make sure you are always aware of technological advances that could alter it or eliminate it. Previous positions that required data to be keyed in manually have now been replaced by technology. Take time to reevaluate your position, and find ways to expand your skill set in other areas. Being prepared will make it easier to pivot into another position when the opportunity presents itself.
WHAT MAKES THE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT TEAM UNIQUE? The Business Engagement Team are cross-trained specialists, who assist our customers with medical bill questions, underwriting questions, payroll inquiries, portal issues, payment statuses, finance questions, agent questions, and job class code information. Each specialist can answer the majority of questions that come their way, without transferring the phone call to the adjuster. The majority of questions are regarding whether a bill was received, inquiring on bill status, or questions on why a CPT code was denied. By answering these questions, they are freeing up the adjuster to focus on critical claim issues. The other unique experience that our Business Engagement Team offers, is that when our customers call, they speak with a “real person.” It can be very frustrating to call for assistance and have to “press 1, press 2”, and then have the call transferred to the wrong department. Customers are shocked when they call during business hours, and a real person picks up the phone.
WE ARE BUILDING TRUST EVERY SINGLE TIME WE CALL SOMEONE BACK THE SAME DAY: The Business Engagement Team is able to return calls the same day because there are specialists working in both Eastern and Pacific Time Zones. People are initially afraid to leave messages, but once their expectations have been exceeded, they trust that their phone calls will be returned.
IF YOU DON’T LIKE TO TALK ON THE PHONE, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU TOO: We have several customers who would prefer to use technology to obtain an answer to their question. We have a virtual attendant option that is very user-friendly. If you go to our website at www.berkindcomp.com, it is the green circle located at the bottom right-hand corner. If a customer’s question cannot be answered with the virtual attendant, it will be transferred to a live person. Our virtual attendant also gives our specialist’s name and direct phone number in case additional assistance is needed.
THE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT TEAM IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING: They want to hear all ideas, and suggestions on how to improve. Recent changes that were made to the customer portal came from listening to customers’ suggestions. They are currently working on several new concepts, so they can continue to deliver the best possible customer experience.
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A CAREER IN INSURANCE, THIS POSITION IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN THE BUSINESS: This is an excellent way for someone to determine if they are more interested in a career in Claims or a career in Underwriting. Each team member has undergone extensive training sessions, and they are continuing their growth by working on their specific state licenses. Our new adjuster that was hired came from our Business Engagement Team! When a new position in Claims or Underwriting becomes available, they already know the claim system, and have experience answering our customer’s questions. If you are open-minded, flexible, and willing to be trained, we would love for you to apply to be part of our team. Come join us, and let’s be winners together!