Streamlining No-Touch Claims with Real-time Video
Today, most of consumers have the capacity to offer their insights into the incident damage using their mobile devices. For auto claims, for example, a typical setting would be to use the phone to capture a fender bender, uploading the picture of a video clip to the insurance company for claims processing and quick offline resolution. This is an ideal scenario of an express, no-touch, low-touch, or desk claim.
Obviously, this is a great concept that can produce significant savings for insurance organizations. Long term revenue has a direct dependency on the customer satisfaction rating of the customer post claim, while the claim costs depend on the length of the claim in a resolution process. Hence, a sound cost effective strategy for any insurance organization is to streamline as many no-touch claims as possible, reducing costs and pressure from the existing business units from handling large quantities of small, but time consuming claims.
No-Touch Claim Risks
While using technology to expedite claims is very feasible, there are some major risks involved. First, detection of fraud, and second is establishing liability. The trouble with recorded media such as pictures or video clips is that they are outdated the minute they are taken, and if something eludes being captured on the pictures straight from the scene, then it is not possible to recover this information. Recall a typical CSI episode and you will see investigation photographers shooting pictures around a crime scene non-stop. The reason is to capture as much evidence as possible at the time of the incident, so that nothing skips the investigator’s eye.
Knowledge & Customer Guidance
While some customers are better at capturing appropriate information, most policy holders are not aware what kind of information they have to capture and in what detail. Their immediate reaction is to capture a picture of the smallest bits of damage - a bumper, a headlight, a scratch, a dent. These pictures do not document the full impact of the damage or present the right type of evidence supporting the investigation. How can we expect the customers to capture the right amount and quality of visual data when they are simply not aware of what’s important?
Most would agree that customers require a little bit of guidance, but even with the most careful instructions, how can we help the customers follow the instructions, especially after a potential incident shock? This is where mobile real-time video streaming is a perfect fit.
Real-time Guidance
Imagine the customer calling to report a fender bender from the scene. This first notice of loss notification (FNOL) is routed to a call center customer service agent, the main asset in receiving and documenting the most important information. The agent provides customer the comfort needed to follow the instructions and asks the customer for details. Using the details, the agent documents as much information as possible from the client’s accounts. Yet, what if the agent could instruct the customer to show him the accident scene real-time, looking at the scene from the customer’s “eyes”, as if the agent is present on location?
Using one-way high quality live video from customer’s mobile device, the agent could gain valuable insight into the customer’s point of view – guiding the customer to display necessary details in real-time and ensuring the right amount and quality of information is delivered and recorded for quick claim resolution. Real-time visual information can also help offering quick dispatch of necessary help and even a collect vital evidence for claims involving 3rd party liability.
Using Metadata
As with all mobile devices, there is a lot of data that is co-incidentally captured in the form of device metadata. GPS coordinates and directions of compass are just a few of the most important examples in helping datamine risks and prevent fraud. Integrating this functionality into existing insurance mobile apps and identifying the caller by phone number is yet another element that can expedite the claims process and ensure proper fraud protection.
Conclusion
Technology has significantly evolved, making it possible to better engage the customer in the most troubled times. Looking now, and into the future, the right technology and its application will be the key to offer customers a high level of protection, higher quality of service and support, and higher level of customer satisfaction.
Bringing together live visual technology with human-to-human interaction is the next element in today’s customer centric business. Combining it with automatic speech analytics and including it with speech to text transcription services, we are able to develop a uniform customer claims delivery system that can help reducing costs while ensuring top level of customer experience and reduction of fraud related risks.