Can Voice AI Solve the Insurance Call Center Problem?

In our last article, we looked at the insurance call center problem. Insurers are dealing with rising labor costs and worker shortages. As a result, it’s becoming harder to keep up with customer expectations, especially when widespread natural disasters trigger surges in call volume. Since billions of dollars of premiums are at stake, insurers need a solution ASAP. That solution is voice AI for insurance.  

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Voice AI Has Come a Long Way

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Calling a business and dealing with a robot used to be a drag. In fact, in some cases, it’s still frustrating. Until recently, automated phone systems featured stilted voices and were incapable of understanding even the most basic, clearly enunciated commands. 

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That’s no longer the case. Advancements in generative AI and Voice AI have led to incredibly sophisticated modern tools. In fact, the new crop of AI voices are so convincing that New Scientist says it’s hard for people to reliably detect artificial voices, even when they know they may be listening to AI-generated speech. Although that’s concerning in the context of AI scams, it’s an exciting breakthrough for insurance customer service. 

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Modern AI voices can be soothing, professional, and friendly – everything people want when they call their insurer for their help. Even better, AI voices can scale in a way human workforces can’t. When call volume surges – for example, because a hurricane has made landfall – AI voices remain capable of answering every call promptly and calmly. 

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How Insurers Can Leverage Voice AI

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Voice AI is a gamechanger for insurers. By leveraging Voice AI, they improve customer service while taking the pressure off their call center employees.

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There are four main applications of voice AI for insurers. 

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1. Help Call Center Employees Answer Faster

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Insurance call center employees need to give each call the time and attention it deserves, but they also need to get to the next call as quickly as possible. It’s a balancing act that may seem impossible – but for Voice AI, it’s easy.

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Voice AI can answer calls as soon as they come in. This takes pressure off human operators, allowing them to focus on calls that require their attention. This increases satisfaction for both the policyholder and insurance team members.

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2. Automatically Prioritize Calls

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One customer calls to update her address. Another customer calls at the same time because his pipe burst, his house is flooding, and he doesn’t know what to do. Which call should be the priority? Obviously, the second call requires immediate assistance. The problem is you have no way of knowing that until you answer both calls. 

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Voice AI can gather information and prioritize calls. It’s a logical way to triage calls to ensure customers dealing with emergencies talk to a human operator ASAP.

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3. Integrate with IVR Systems

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Many insurers have been using interactive voice response (IVR) technology for decades now. These automated phone tree systems are a practical way to route callers to the correct department or handle issues that don’t require human assistance, such as taking credit card payments. IVR systems have also been a major source of frustration when callers can’t find the options they need. 

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However, insurers don’t need to abandon this technology to meet customer expectations. When paired with voice AI, IVR systems are user friendly and seamless. 

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4. Answer and Route Calls

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Voice AI systems are highly capable of answering and routing calls. Insurers can ensure every call receives a prompt response. This helps calls get to the right department, which avoids wasting representatives’ time and saves customers the hassle of repeating themselves when they’re transferred multiple times.

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Having voice AI is like having an unlimited number of assistants ready to help whenever you need them. This improves daily workflows on regular days, but it’s especially useful during claim surges. When call volume increases due to extreme weather, voice AI systems make it possible for insurers to keep up.

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What Can Voice AI Do for You?

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Voice AI has numerous applications in the insurance industry. Before you decide to adopt this technology, you may wonder how much value it will add to your operations. The next article in this series will show you exactly what insurers stand to gain.