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Insurers may have been able to justify a laggard approach to various technological developments in the past, but when it comes to electronic communications, the industry now needs to get up to speed.
Establishing effective electronic touch points should be among insurers’ highest priorities, and that means satisfying not only customers’ expectations to connect via their preferred channels, but also distributors and internal associates. It’s a requirement that touches a variety of processes and systems across the insurance enterprise, but one that must be managed consistently with regard to regulatory requirements.
Julie Kessler, Product Market Manager, Wolters Kluwer.
“Insurers are increasingly working to drive electronic communications as a more efficient way of reaching customers, and a younger customer base is looking for faster ways to communicate,” comments Julie Kessler, Product Market Manager, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services. “That makes insurers’ ability to deliver these capabilities a competitive advantage and, really, a competitive necessity.”
Wolters Kluwer has published a downloadable e-book on best practices and other considerations when implementing electronic delivery and e-signature capabilities, and offers the following list of the “Top 12 Tips for Effective Electronic Communications Implementation”:
- Solicit compliance and legal guidance
- Get buy-in early from business leaders
- Start with a simple process
- Carefully review policies and procedures
- Develop your own workflow
- Keep the team focused
- Test, test and test some more
- Demo and feedback as close to reality as possible
- Develop user guides and training
- Trial with small group or line
- Provide incentives to customers
- Promote the success of the project