Case Studies

Communicating a Customer Contact Strategy

A focus on partnership helps an insurance company align its agents with strategic, customer-centric communication goals.

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Background

A Fortune 50 insurance company wanted to transform their customers’ experience. The company learned that while 71% of former customers preferred consistent contact from their insurance agency, 45% never received any contact.^* These findings, in addition to a variety of contact strategy test programs, led to the development of a customer contact strategy intended to increase loyalty and retention through ongoing, personalized phone and mail contact with customers.

Problem

The customer contact strategy had to be communicated to 14 regions with 13,000 agencies within the next month. However, the company didn’t have a process to identify whom to contact, when to do so or how to deliver communications.

Agency support was critical because agencies field questions from contacted customers. However, a lack of communication about prior initiatives had forced agencies to handle customer inquiries without warning, leading them to become frustrated and opt out of the initiatives. Participation in this initiative was mandatory. As a result, agencies resisted involvement without understanding the benefits of participation.

Vox Solution

Vox built the communication plan from the ground up. The plan focused on creating a true partnership between the company and agencies that also reinforced the potential benefits of the strategy.

To benefit the company, Vox:

• Identified the appropriate audiences and communication vehicles
• Developed a communication delivery schedule
• Created more than 60 communications for internal use
• Branded the strategy with a name to help it resonate with the intended audiences

To benefit agencies, Vox:

• Provided proactive, ongoing communication
• Explained how the strategy complemented existing agency processes
• Surveyed agencies for feedback following customer contact
• Shared strategy results

Result

Today the company, its agencies—and most importantly—its customers enjoy many “wins” as a result of this integrated communication plan. Agencies now understand and appreciate the benefits of this contact strategy. In fact, 70% of agencies recently surveyed have a positive impression of it. Although the program focused on communicating with regional staff and agencies, customers are the ultimate winners. They now receive the consistent, customer-centric contact they want and deserve.

* Company's internal research.