There was a time when “going digital” was a long-term goal for many independent insurance agencies. But as this pandemic continues, one thing becomes very clear: Digital is no longer optional.
But is your agency providing online customer self-service, or is this an area that is being overlooked?
Almost overnight, online customer self-service has become a must. And this trend is not temporary—customer expectations have been changed forever. Providing your clients with access to self-service options anytime, anywhere is an expectation your agency will need to continue to meet. If you don’t, your competition will.
Insurance shoppers have changed. They desire websites and apps they can interact with at their own convenience. Why? Because other industries have taught them to expect it. (No, it’s not just Millennials.)
The goal is to meet your customers where they are. And those customers are online, actively seeking ways to insert themselves into every possible aspect of their transactions – including customer service. Unless they feel the need to communicate with an agent directly, they would prefer not to. It’s all about immediacy.
Insureds should be able to Download ID cards, view policy information, upload documents, check in on active claims, make payments, and submit changes to their policies. For commercial lines, policy holders expect to generate certificates, request changes to schedules, and provide the required (extensive) data for their applications when and how it’s most convenient for them.You’ve worked so hard to attract and win modern insurance consumers, be sure to invest in the infrastructure required to retain them.
Here are some key takeaways for success:
- Get started now. Customer expectations are only growing.
- Commit to making online customer self-service a strength of your agency.
- Don’t wait for the process to be perfect – it never will be. You have to start somewhere, and your clients will recognize you’re making moves in the right direction.
- Technology is driving these demands, so choose solution(s) that can scale with you.
- If you don’t deliver on the desired customer experience, someone else will.
As 2020 unfolded, EZLynx shifted its development priorities even more toward expanding agencies’ online self-servicing capabilities. EZLynx Client Center makes it possible for agencies of all sizes to deliver the customer portal experience their clients expect. Whether your book of business is mostly personal lines, commercial or somewhere in between, we have a solution that is simple to establish and easy to maintain.
Here are some links to more information: