In the insurance industry, first impressions matter; 87% of clients believe businesses should focus on delivering a positive experience at every touchpoint, including the onboarding process.
When clients have a positive experience in the initial days after buying insurance from you, chances are that they’re going to be happy with their decision – maybe even to the point where they’ll look to you to solve their insurance needs for the foreseeable future.
That being the case, insurance client onboarding is a critical part of any agency’s operations. The stronger your agency’s onboarding process is, the more likely you will be to have satisfied customers who become a word-of-mouth referral system in your corner.
It’s in your best interest to do everything you can to build a strong insurance client onboarding process and make sure your new clients transition into your company as seamlessly as possible.
With that in mind, here’s our top checklist for creating a seamless customer onboarding process in insurance.
5 Tips for Improving the Customer Onboarding Process in Insurance
1. Document Important Information
If your goal is to standardize the onboarding process so that every client has a great initial experience with your agency, you first need to document processes and procedures.
Some of this documentation will be internal-facing so that your employees know exactly what’s expected of them when a new client comes on board. Other documentation will be customer-facing so that new clients can reference the information they need as they’re getting acclimated to working with you.
Once you have well-documented procedures in place, you can begin thinking about the other resources clients and employees need to ensure a successful onboarding experience every time.
2. Send a Welcome Package
Whenever a new client comes on board, they will want to know that they are in good hands. While you may be tempted to aim for as many health insurance sales right away, it’s important to get there organically.
An easy way to ensure a smooth onboarding process is by sending each new client a welcome kit full of helpful information. For example, you might send them aesthetically pleasing materials filled with information about the products you sell, how the industry has changed in recent years, how to get in touch with your team, your referral program, and any potential community events that might be coming up.
You can also include testimonials to give your new clients the peace of mind that comes from knowing other clients just like them are completely satisfied with your services as well as some branded items to make them feel welcome.
3. Personalize Their Experience
Clients today want personalized experiences. In fact, 43% of online customers claimed they would share their personal data if it meant receiving a more personalized experience.
Since first impressions matter, consider personalizing your outreach right out of the gate. It’s an easy way to show your new clients that you care about them as individuals, and that you’re committed to doing everything you can to meet their needs. Having a one-on-one relationship with your clients should be the goal.
Worried that you don’t have enough time to personalize your outreach? Don’t be. With a customer relationship management (CRM) solution in place, you can personalize all of your interactions automatically.
4. Check in With New Clients on a Regular Cadence
Consider following up with new clients at regular intervals to check in and see how they’re doing.
For example, you might want to reach out to a new client after their first two weeks or first month. Simply asking them how they’re doing or inquiring about what you can do to make their lives easier can go a long way toward delivering that personal touch that sets your insurance agency apart.
A CRM platform can also help you in this regard. The right CRM tool can increase the effectiveness of your email outreach by automating messages to the right clients and prospects at the best times.
5. Set Expectations With Your Clients
The last thing you want is for your new clients to feel like they’re lost or alone. To ensure they feel well taken care of, help set their expectations based on their exact needs – and then deliver.
For example, if you’re going to send a welcome kit and someone’s going to be in touch in four weeks, by all means, let them know. By doing so, you’ll immediately prove that your agency does what it says it will do – making your new clients that much more comfortable as you begin your business relationship.
Ready to Empower Your Agency With More Tips?
Optimizing your new customer onboarding process in insurance is just one way you can take your agency to the next level.
At Quotit, we have several resources all created by industry experts who know the latest best practices, trends, and techniques proven to take your insurance sales to new heights.
Empower your firm with our whitepaper that’s full of tried-and-true methods for expanding your business in insurance.
