How to Win the 'Micro-Moment'

The P&C insurers that will win in our increasingly data-driven market are the companies that embrace the possibilities of technology and are able to own the “micro-moment”: Companies that reach consumers when they are making decisions and forming preferences will be ahead of the curve. Communication technology now makes it possible for insurers to reach out to customers using automated voice, text, social media, email and other platforms. For example, when catastrophe looms, such as a major weather event, insurance companies have a great opportunity to protect policyholders and minimize losses by contacting customers. This is not only good for the bottom line, because it avoids losses; it's a great way to deliver an exceptional customer experience, which confers a competitive advantage. Insurance company executives instinctively see the value of using personalized communication to build loyalty and strengthen relationships. But not all companies are fully ready to take advantage of the possibilities of a closer connection with customers. See Also: Data Science: Methods Matter Executives worry about the quality and accuracy of the data they have on hand. That’s because many insurance companies only contact customers when processing a claim or following up on a late payment. Some use these opportunities to update their customer data, but since records verification only happens around transactions, a sizable portion of the company’s customer information is always outdated, and that can stymie efforts to own the micro-moment. Take the connected catastrophe scenario, for example — because much of the customer base is always connected and has higher expectations around personalized communication than ever before, it makes sense to conduct customer outreach when a catastrophe is likely. By reaching out to customers, companies can contribute to customer safety, reduce losses and strengthen relationships. A P&C company, with an insured population in the path of a hurricane or wildfire, might reach out via automated voice message, text, social media (e.g., Facebook or Twitter) or email to alert customers of the danger, provide advice on documenting insured property and inform customers on how to file claims once the event is over. The P&C company might also identify the location of mobile service centers. The message this type of initiative sends to customers is unmistakable: The company is looking out for the customer and stands ready to assist during a tough time. And with modern communication technology, companies can implement a system capable of managing affordably customer outreach across multiple platforms, using automation to handle most of the workload. Another issue is that many P&C companies don’t make a practice of asking for permission to contact customers or recording customer communication preferences. In addition to up-to-date contact information (including landline and mobile numbers), companies need to request communication preferences, such as whether the subscriber prefers to be contacted by voice, text or tweet. Getting P&C company databases where they need to be to conduct widespread customer outreach in a personalized manner that respects customer communication preferences will take a large-scale data scrubbing effort at most companies. It can be conducted in-house if the insurer has sufficient resources to tackle such a project, or the company can choose to hire a third-party vendor. When P&C insurers have the clean data they need, they can contact policyholders to help keep them safe, but that’s just the beginning. With clean data and the ability to automate communications using customer preferences, companies can reach out to customers about changing coverage needs, inquire about policy lapses, address late payments and much more. The first step in fostering closer relationships with customers via personalized communication is making sure the information on hand is clean — data that has been verified as accurate. With clean data, forward-thinking insurance company leaders can ensure that consumer demand for greater personalization is met and that their company thrives in an increasingly data-driven economy.