Workers’ compensation is one of the most important insurance programs in the United States that ensures injured workers economic sustenance and peace of mind. At the same time this insurance is vital for business owners as well, both small and large business owners. The program is considered foolproof with processes such as medical record retrieval and comprehensive medical records review, which can establish the genuineness of a claim. Small businesses can obtain private insurance or state insurance for workers’ compensation coverage. The cost of the policy depends on factors such as the business type and the number of employees.
User experience is of prime importance in any business interaction. The interaction between small business owners and their insurance carriers is no exception. Small businesses expect workers’ compensation carriers to provide immaculate customer service that will encourage them to approach insurance agencies without anxieties and concerns regarding the plan they wish to choose. Moreover, in keeping with the digitally alert business trends, they also want their carriers to be innovative and proactive to improve the user experience. A recent survey by small business insurer employers provides some interesting information about small business owners’ expectations about their insurers. The survey was conducted on 500 small businesses and one major finding is that nearly a quarter or 23% of America’s small business owners believe that workers’ compensation carriers could improve their customer service by offering more online or self-service tools. Other major improvements desired are better communication and faster claims resolution.
Here are the major findings.
- 67% of small business owners said they are extremely likely or somewhat likely to use a self-service online portal from their workers’ compensation carrier to review policy information, make payments, or make policy changes.
- Almost 60% of small business owners said that they were extremely or somewhat likely to use a mobile app for submitting claims, tracking claims, making payments, or viewing payment history.
- Most of those surveyed (76%) considered an identical experience across desktop and laptop computers, smartphones, and tablets very or somewhat important.
The survey results are not surprising, considering the extent to which mobile and self-service technologies are influencing all aspects of our lives. Just as other entities, small business owners also want their insurance companies to make available advanced digital tools that can improve convenience and responsiveness. Just as digital transition removes complexities from vital processes related to workers’ compensation insurance such as medical record retrieval, and adds accuracy and convenience, it can also transform the way small businesses interact with their insurance carriers. Essentially, businesses are looking for features such as more fluent communication regarding their policy, faster claims processing and payments, more communication about the status of submitted claims, more online and self-service tools, innovative mobile apps that will help to submit and track claims, and more resources to improve workplace safety among others.
