How a Digital-First Approach to Onboarding Members Can Establish Brand Loyalty
Member expectations are at an all-time high, and with healthcare consumerism on the rise, people are willing to shop around and switch plans if they aren’t happy. Innovative plans like AllWays Health Partners are aware of this risk and are going on the offense.
With Virgin Pulse’s help, AllWays Health Partners has leveraged a digital-first approach to quickly connect with members during the onboarding and welcome timeframe…and their work is paying off—to the tune of a 4-point increase in new member satisfaction year-over-year!
Here are some lessons Chris Miller, Director Customer Engagement Marketing, shared with us from his journey building a VIP member experience.
1. Reset the clock because the member experience starts before day 1
Switching plans can be a stressful time, but plans have an opportunity to make it easier on people and build brand affinity by being there with information when people need it. AllWays Health Partners minimizes this stress with a thorough and seamless welcome and onboarding program. Members receive timely, easy-to-understand information through a variety of digital engagement tools, including webinars, easy-to-use websites, and multiple communication channels (emails, automated voice calls and texting). These touch-points work in concert to help consumers navigate the journey from the day they select a plan to when coverage is initiated.
2. Reduce abrasion with a seamless, coordinated experience
Another way to improve the member experience is by coordinating communications so you aren’t overwhelming them with information. AllWays Health Partners reduces member abrasion by coordinating outreach and branding across multiple channels, understanding member pain points, checking in with them, testing messaging, and adjusting based on feedback. This high-touch approach accomplished with high-tech is delivering results, including year-over-year increases in member retention.
3. Embrace digital outreach and technology
People like to get information in different ways, but managing multiple outreach channels on your own – or across multiple vendors – is hard. Virgin Pulse’s multi-channel, multi-cycle capabilities are a critical component of AllWays Health Partners’ strategy to create a meaningful experience for newly enrolled Medicaid, Commercial and Employer Group plan members. Within 48 hours of enrollment, Welltok sends a welcome email, phone or text message on behalf of the plan to the new member. All of this outreach drives them to an interactive website designed to answer common questions about new coverage, like “Is my doctor in the network?” and “What types of resources are available for a condition I have?” This engagement model is essential to building a great first impression and a long-term relationship, as demonstrated by AllWays Health Partners’ 8 to 9-point increase in overall member satisfaction between 2018-2020.
Many organizations focus on a creating a great experience starting Day 1, or the day coverage starts. AllWays Health Partners is proving that what happens well before this date can make a significant impact on member satisfaction and loyalty out the gate.