Bridging the gap and exceeding customer expectations

Digital technology is advancing rapidly, and so are your customers' expectations and preferences for interacting with your business. Prospects and customers now anticipate a level of interaction akin to their experiences with online shopping platforms.

Ensuring a seamless customer journey for both existing clients and potential prospects must remain a top priority for brokers. A broker's future growth depends on consistent communication and prioritising a customer-centric approach. Whether customers engage in person, via an app, or online, they seek the convenience of seamless interaction, and the flexibility to connect effortlessly at any time.

This is where online and mobile customer self-service technology presents an opportunity for you to provide an exceptional customer experience. The reality is having a website alone is no longer sufficient. Brokers need to be on board with the latest trends and tools to engage with customers seamlessly on all channels to remain competitive.

Are brokers prepared to meet customers where they are? In this blog post, I'll discuss how online and mobile customer self-service technology allows them to better connect with customers and build stronger businesses.

Adopting Self-Service Technology: The Strategic Advantage

The recent Insurance Times Digital Adoption Report, produced in association with Applied Systems, indicated a noticeable gap, with less than half of brokerages integrating mobile apps into their customer service strategies. This means brokers willing to embrace innovation have exceptional chances to take the lead and cater to their customers' needs effectively, positioning themselves at the forefront of the competition.

“63% of brokers do not have a management system that allows them to provide customers with access through a custom-brokered mobile app.”

Source: 2023 Insurance Times’ Digital Adoption Report

We recognise that meeting customers' expectations is crucial, and we're committed to providing an exceptional mobile app and broker portal experience through our Applied CSR24® platform. We believe that self-service technology is essential to staying competitive in today's market, and we're excited to continue innovating and enhancing our tech to serve brokers even better.

Mobile apps and self-service portals give customers the freedom to access insurance documents, payment options and claims, 24/7 from anywhere. When you give customers the convenience to self-serve, your team is freed up to focus on other revenue-generating activities. Additionally, apps provide brokers valuable insights into which features their customers use most. This information can help brokers identify where improvement is needed to enhance customer experience even more.

“68% of consumers surveyed would be willing to download and use an app from their insurance provider. ”

Source: PwC Insurance 2020: The digital prize – Taking customer connection to a new level

A report by PwC Insurance 2020, titled The digital prize – Taking customer connection to a new level, shows that 68% of customers are willing to download and use an app provided by their insurance company. This signifies that customers are more open to digital solutions and prefer them. That means incorporating mobile apps into customer experience is a wise strategic move for any broker.

Now Is the Right Time to Meet the Digital Demands of Today’s Customers

Do mobile apps help brokers meet customers where they are? You already know the answer if you have used a mobile phone to book a flight or pay a bill. With 98% of adults having a mobile phone, the opportunity for broker growth through self-service technology is endless.

Meet the digital demands of today’s consumers to increase customer satisfaction, build customer loyalty and stand out among the competition.

Unlock your Epic potential and discover how Applied can help you progress your digital strategy and enhance your customer experience.

Stephen Murphy

Senior Director of Customer Experience, Applied Systems Europe

Stephen Murphy is responsible for the overall client experience and satisfaction of Applied Europe’s strategic customers. A customer champion, Stephen leads a team of Customer Success managers and works in collaboration with Sales, Services, Support, Development and Product Management, placing customer experience at the centre of all operations. He joined Applied in March 2020 and works across both broker and insurer channels ensuring our customers gain the most value possible from their investment in Applied technology. In his previous role at Accenture, Stephen worked in Management Consulting where he specialised in insurance consulting, managing teams across Europe and Asia Pacific to deliver large scale transformational projects for larger insurers in the UK and Ireland.