Using WhatsApp for Insurance: Improving Agent-Policyholder Communication

Within the next five years, upwards of 80% of customer interactions in the insurance sector could be taking place via messaging and chat channels like WhatsApp. Yet, the insurance industry faces a unique set of challenges in making the leap towards full digital communication, particularly around security, personalisation, and compliance.

Consumers overwhelmingly prefer using messaging and chat channels due to convenience,  immediacy, and familiarity. However, implementing this form of communication in insurance can take time and effort. The stakes are high, as customers rely on their insurers for critical support and guidance, leaving little room for error.

Insurance is a specialised industry, where customers are dissatisfied when bounced around between agents who may need more clarification on their needs. Furthermore, over 73% of customers will switch to a competitor after multiple bad experiences. Ensuring that the right agent assists each customer without causing frustration or delays is critical. 

The challenge intensifies with a large team of agents using channels like WhatsApp. How can an insurance company direct the right customer to the right agent seamlessly while maintaining professionalism and security, especially when dealing with sensitive personal information?

A secure, efficient messaging solution

Hubtype Advisors addresses the challenges insurance companies face by facilitating seamless, secure communication between clients and agents through WhatsApp, one of the world's most popular messaging platforms with over 3 billion monthly users. This tool ensures that every customer interaction is both smooth and compliant with GDPR standards.

When a customer initiates a conversation via WhatsApp, they are guided through a series of intuitive prompts using graphical elements like buttons and dropdowns. These prompts are fully customisable and there to gather necessary information, such as ID number, location, and type of claim. Based on the input provided, Hubtype’s advanced smart routing technology directs the customer to the agent best equipped to handle their specific needs.

For example, let’s say Agent C is assigned to handle automobile collision damage claims in a specific geographical area. The smart routing technology will go on to precisely direct the relevant customers to that agent.

The beauty of Hubtype Advisors lies in its ability to keep the customer within the WhatsApp chat without unnecessary delays or transfers to other channels. Simultaneously, the agent remains within a centralised communication platform, gaining detailed access to all relevant customer information. This setup not only ensures efficient tracking of communications but also prevents redundant questions, improving the overall customer experience.‍

Why Hubtype Advisors helps insurance companies

In a more traditional model where agents use individually provided or even shared WhatsApp accounts, messaging poses several risks and inefficiencies. These include potential breaches of data security, lost insights due to decentralised interactions, and scalability issues. Hubtype Advisors addresses these challenges head-on with advanced features that ensure security, provide valuable insights, and maximise operational efficiency.

Core benefits and features:

1. Robust security: Hubtype Advisors routes every message through a secure, encrypted channel. Advisors access these communications through a secure application, ensuring that all interactions are protected and private. This setup eliminates the risk of exposing customer data on personal devices, maintaining strict compliance with GDPR standards.
   
2. Unified customer insights: The platform consolidates all customer interactions into a single view, integrating with your CRM and providing valuable insights into engagement and performance metrics. This centralised view helps insurance companies quickly understand their customers' needs and optimise their service strategies.
   
3. Scalable efficiency: Hubtype Advisors automates initial customer contact and routine inquiries, allowing advisors to focus on more complex issues. This not only improves response times but also enables advisors to manage multiple interactions simultaneously, significantly boosting productivity.
   
4. Continuous communication: With 24/7 automated responses and smart routing, customers can contact their insurance company at any time. Automatic notifications keep customers informed about advisor availability, enhancing the overall service experience.
   
5. Compliance with GDPR: All communications through Hubtype Advisors are encrypted and comply with the most stringent data protection regulations, ensuring that both customer and company data remain secure.
   

How Hubtype Advisors works

Let’s return to the example above. There is a customer who needs information on automobile collision damage policies. They initiate a conversation via WhatsApp, and thanks to Hubtype Advisors’ smart routing capabilities, they are automatically connected to an advisor who specialises in collision damage claims. This process happens seamlessly, without manual intervention, ensuring the customer receives prompt and accurate assistance.

Here’s what happens step-by-step:

1. Initial contact: The customer sends a message inquiring about car insurance through WhatsApp. They are guided through a series of intuitive prompts, such as selecting their location, type of request, and any specific details about their inquiry.
   
2. Smart routing: Hubtype Advisors uses advanced smart routing technology to analyse the customer’s input. Based on keywords and the collected data, the system instantly identifies the most suitable advisor for the query, in this case, a specialist in automobile collision policies.
   
3. Seamless interaction: The advisor receives the customer’s message along with all relevant information, such as the customer's account number, location, and specifics of their request, pulled from centralised data insights. This enables the advisor to provide a personalised and informed response right from the start.
   
4. Ongoing support: Any follow-up questions or additional queries from the customer are managed through the same secure WhatsApp chat. This ensures continuity in the conversation, as the advisor has access to the complete interaction history, making it easier to provide consistent and accurate support.
   
5. Secure access: Agents access the Hubtype platform through a secure application on their mobile device or desktop. This ensures that all communications remain encrypted and GDPR-compliant, protecting sensitive customer information at all times.‍
6. Centralised communication: The advisor remains within a centralised communication platform, allowing for efficient tracking of all interactions. This setup prevents redundant questions and improves the overall customer experience by ensuring the advisor has a comprehensive view of the customer’s history and needs.
   

Hubtype Advisors streamlines the entire communication process, from initial contact to ongoing support, providing a secure, efficient, and personalised experience for both customers and advisors in the insurance sector.

The strategic advantage for insurance companies

76% of customers expect personalisation and investing in it pays dividends. It has been shown that personalisation leads to significantly lower customer acquisition costs. Hubtype Advisors isn't just about handling customer messages, it's about transforming the entire approach to customer service in the insurance industry and creating a more personalised customer journey. 

Here are additional strategic benefits:

• Advanced customer satisfaction: By facilitating quicker, more personalised responses, customer satisfaction improves, which can lead to higher retention rates.
• Operational cost reduction: Automating routine inquiries reduces the need for extensive human resources, lowering operational costs.
• Increased sales opportunities: Effective communication increases the likelihood of upselling and cross-selling, as advisors are better equipped to introduce relevant products and services.
  

Connecting customers with confidence

Hubtype Advisors offers insurance companies a powerful tool to quickly and efficiently improve their customer communication strategy. Ensuring that every interaction is secure, personalised, and compliant, sets a new standard for customer service by personalising customer communications where your customers like to chat.

Improve your insurance communications with messaging and chat‍

Discover how Hubtype Advisors can transform your customer interactions with a secure, efficient, and compliant messaging solution on WhatsApp. Connect with us today to explore the potential of Hubtype Advisors in revolutionising your customer service operations.