Automating Your Customer Support - ePayPolicy

Article 5 in a 6-part series

Customer support automation is one of six primary categories recommended for independent insurance agencies to invest in as part of their InsurTech strategy in 2020.

What is Customer Support?

Customer support tools engage clients and prospects through virtual assistance, enhanced personal interaction, and multi-channel communication.

Why It’s Important to Use These Tools

Insurance is a service business. The goal is to help prospects and clients efficiently, without overburdening staff. Automated customer support (ACX) tools:

1. 1.Facilitate client communication
2. 2.Allow you to help prospects and clients at scale without increasing staff count

The New Model of Customer Support

Traditional client support involved fielding calls or in-person visits during business hours. Now, clients expect instant answers at all hours and access agencies via websites, text, mobile phones, and social media.

Modern customer support means engaging with clients when, where, and how they choose, resulting in happier, empowered clients and less stressed agents and staff.

Customer Support Tools

Here are some major work tasks you can automate, along with representative solution vendors (not an exhaustive list, and not endorsements):

Live Chat

Live chat functions like a fully staffed customer service department. One agent can handle multiple inquiries while others focus on different tasks. Research shows customers are more satisfied with live chat than phone or email support. Companies like Zendesk, Podium, and Intercom help agencies:

• ​Engage people via websites, mobile, or social media—even before they ask a question
• ​Build credibility and trust with clients and prospects through personalized, non-intrusive interaction
• ​Track who’s using the service and how, including who’s asking to chat with “Sales” or “Support”

Self-Service

Self-service options save staff from answering repetitive questions. Adding a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section to your website can:

• ​Encourage prospects and clients to find their own answers
• ​Reduce the number of inquiries staff must handle

AI-powered chatbots are also useful for self-service customer support. Chatbots use natural language processing to simulate human interaction. Vendors such as ChatBot, LivePerson, ada, and Bold360 make it easy to:

• ​Tailor bot templates to industry-specific use cases
• ​Ensure each inquiry triggers the right bot response
• ​Engage visitors with a seamless, conversational experience

Phone Service

Virtual (internet-based) platforms bring multiple communication channels together. VoIP phone service providers like RingCentral, Grasshopper, Nextiva, and Ooma enhance business interactions. Staff can present a consistent business brand as they:

• ​Conduct business via phone call, text message, or high-quality video session
• ​Serve clients with greater ease and reliability
• ​Operate from any preferred device, anywhere

Thinking Ahead

Clients are becoming accustomed to automated support from other vendors and service providers. Adopting customer support solutions such as Live Chat, Self-Service, and VoIP Phone Service demonstrates that your agency is modern, responsive, and communication-savvy for client convenience.

Where Does Your Agency Stand?

The InsurTech Award presented by ePayPolicy is open for entries. Top scorers receive cash and other prizes. All entrants get their InsurTech adoption score and valuable feedback. Enter to see how your agency compares to others and how you’ve improved over time. Judges offer tips on leveraging automation for:

1. 1.Sales
2. 2.Marketing
3. 3.Team Collaboration
4. 4.Client Experience
5. 5.Customer Support
6. 6.Agency Management Systems

This 6-part series covers all these InsurTech solution categories.