Service or Technology Focus? Why Not Both?
Technology will never eliminate the need for human interaction. The proper combination of technology and service allows you to keep pace with the digital world while offering personalized, trained assistance. Successful employers provide their employees with a variety of tools for employee benefits education. These tools empower employees to be informed consumers and maximize their benefits by making the right choices. Employers need the right combination of technology and service to engage their employees.
E-resources such as a comprehensive benefits website, an educational email campaign, and an easy enrollment platform are essential for employee education and empowerment.
Technology should be supported by customer service to address employee communication preferences. Trained benefits experts should be available to handle complex inquiries and issues. Every organization has employees who prefer to speak with someone about their benefits (versus accessing information online). Identifying how employees engage is critical in benefits education and appreciation.
Employee benefits are personal, important and expensive. Some employees have complex health conditions and higher level plan education is critical in making the right choices. Even for the healthiest of families, making the right choice in benefit plans and using benefits dollars wisely can save families a significant amount of money.
Offering customer service for new hires provides a personal introduction to the company. Some employers require telephonic new hire benefits education and enrollment to ensure every new hire receives the same experience and has the opportunity to ask questions. Additional corporate and HR messaging as well as wellness program details are often communicated personally, which lends more importance to specific topics.
At Open Enrollment, service center support allows the employees to have a personalized experience about the impact of next year’s plan changes. What happens if an employee is diagnosed with a serious illness during the year? Do your employees have a resource for questions about complex benefits questions, life events, plan changes and life insurance beneficiaries? Having an external customer service solution eliminates the confidentiality concerns from employees.
Do you offer the proper combination of resources and channels for employee benefits education and enrollment? What’s in it for the employer? Employees who understand how to maximize their benefits and the employer’s investment in benefits are happier, more loyal employees.
