UPMC Health Plan - Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year

Company: UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, PA
Company Description: UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC , an integrated global health enterprise. Our products and services are utilized by nearly 2.3 million members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year - Other Service Industries

Nomination Title: UPMC Health Plan Front Line Customer Service Team of the Year

Tell the story about what this nominated team achieved since the beginning of July 2017 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

To maintain Brand visibility, market sustainability, and award-winning Customer Service standards, UPMC Health Plan created and deployed new way of providing Customer Service to the communities they serve. Providing an avenue for customers to interact directly with us face-to-face vs. over the phone. in 2013, the Retail Innovation Team was born, comprised of 4 Connect Service and Sales Centers within the local malls in Pittsburgh and Erie, Pa. This Program soon gained traction and continues to grow and prosper each year. It has since grown to 7 Retail Connect Center kiosks, one in-line store, and 1 storefront, throughout 4 major regions of Pennsylvania with plans to add 1 additional kiosk within the next year. The Retail Team is comprised of Licensed Customer Service and Sales Associates for all UPMC Health Plan products. This department has allowed UPMC Health Plan to add another level of their Customer Service excellence allowing it to stand out from the competition.

Each year, we have seen exponential growth in visitors at the retail stores. During the last quarter of each year, the numbers of visitors increase substantially due to Open Enrollment starting for all current UPMC Health Plan members and prospective members. These visits also resulted in a steady increase of 30% to 55% in new sales annually, over the last 4 years.

Each Retail location is open 7 days a week, 11 hours each day, where customers may stop in any time, no appointment necessary, and receive personal one-on-one assistance. This team strives for first-visit resolution, ensuring they have done all they can to answer and address the customer’s questions and concerns before leaving their location. Providing a personal touch to the confusing and sometimes overwhelming world of Health Care. Customers express that having the face-to-face interaction provides a higher level of service to help them better absorb the answers to their questions. When a customer enters a Retail location, they are warmly welcomed, and provided an Associate’s undivided attention to their needs. It is the Retail team’s goal to help provide peace-of-mind to each customer and a personal, friendly face to come to with any Insurance questions.

The UPMC Retail team also hosts monthly wellness events that are focused on the National Health Calendar. These events are free, open to the public and provides help with preventative health care needs. At these events, the team offers a plethora of informational communication on the current health topics. A health coach, nurse or doctor are also available to answer clinical questions that participants may have. Attendance at each event is between 200 and 3,000 participants. Many of these events offered free screenings allowing over 1,000 participants to receive help with their preventative care.

We strongly believe in the importance of receiving feedback from our members and prospective members that visit our stores. Each visitor that comes to one of our retail stores, are asked to complete a survey based on their visit. The survey covers multiple topics, where teams are scored on how well they do in each category. During the first 3 quarter of 2018, 75% of the members/prospects that visited the store, completed a survey. During the final quarter, 82% of our visitors completed a survey, with an overall customer satisfaction rate of 96%! The team is constantly looking for ways to improve and better-serve our customers. The results from the surveys have assisted in many new developments based on what our customers are saying.

For UPMC Health Plan, we strongly follow our mission to provide service excellence to our members and our community. It is important to us to have an avenue where UPMC Health Plan members and prospective members can receive the same award-winning customer service experience in-person that they have come to expect from UPMC.