Responding to dissatisfied customers can sink a pit in anyone’s stomach, and some complaints, frankly, cannot be resolved due to circumstances. However, by acknowledging some of the more general complaints leveled against the insurance industry, independent agencies can differentiate themselves from larger, corporate agencies.
According to a 2014 insurance consumer study, only 14% of customers were very satisfied with the current outbound communications from their insurance providers. Compare that with the 57% of global insurance consumers who claim that they would prefer to hear from their providers at least semi-annually, and it’s easy to identify a gap in the market.
On average, people check their inbox 77 times per day, which means they’re actively looking for contact. Take that opportunity to communicate while your clients are primed and receptive. Incorporate a brief, friendly email into your monthly marketing strategy. Tools like Constant Contact allow agencies to craft attractive, personalized email easily and even track metrics regarding open rates.
The same 2014 survey showed that insurers are less trusted than banks, supermarkets, and car manufacturers. Furthermore, insurance consumers often switch agencies without expressing an intention to switch. Sounds a lot like someone who feels underappreciated and isn’t going to take it anymore.
There’s an easy way to show you care thanks to social media. Currently, more than 74% of online adults use social networks, and they’re open to building relationships with companies there. Imagine the warm and fuzzy feeling that a client would get if her insurance agent took a moment to say Happy Birthday or to Like a family photo on Facebook!
One way to touch on the complaints that can’t necessarily be resolved easily is to educate clients on the realities of insurance. It’s a confusing subject, and it’s not necessarily interesting to the average person.
Using podcasts, short videos, or even quick tips via social media, you can help clients to better understand how insurance works. That knowledge will prepare them for unavoidable disappointments while also equipping them to make better decisions regarding coverage and risky behaviors.
Finally, one of the top complaints among insurance consumers is slow response time. The first thing to remember about this issue is that staying in touch and showing you care make wait times more tolerable. Think about an evening when your dinner in a busy restaurant was delayed. If the waitress avoided you, you probably felt angry. However, if the waitress took time to reassure you, provide some encouragement, and keep you updated, you probably didn’t mind the wait so much.
One way to keep consumers from losing patience is to employ transactional emails. Transactional email is a message sent to someone based on an action they took, and it’s a painless way to immediately respond when customers file claims, to provide updates as claims are processed, and to generally let consumers know that they’re not being ignored.
AgenciesOnline clients raved about our services when asked by Insurance Business America who the best of the best of 2015 was, and when you develop a partnership with us, we’ll make sure that your clients feel the same way about you.