INNOVATION| 07.05.2021
Verbatims, a pioneering technological solution for listening to (and understanding) clients
Of the more than 700,000 annual surveys MAPFRE sends to its clients, 40 percent are sent back with comments. Clients can use the comments sections to express their experience in their own words and also take the opportunity to write about other issues. How can you handle such a tremendous quantity of very varied data, respond quickly and improve services? How can you capture the emotions and feelings behind each comment and transform them into action? Verbatims is a pioneering solution, based on artificial intelligence, that radically changes the relationship and communication between clients and insurers.
In the digital age, people expect extremely rapid response times. Therefore, for any company that wants to provide the highest quality of service, it is vital to listen to the voice of the customer, process their messages and take action to improve the client experience. In recent years, MAPFRE has built a strong and stable client experience model with its ‘Voice of the Customer’ program, and it continues to improve this model on a daily basis. Is it possible to capture a real, emotional snapshot of an email survey respondent and, where necessary, trigger a change in perception? The answer is yes, and this article will tell you how we’ve done it.
Verbatims, a quantum leap in client feedback
MAPFRE prioritizes people and seeks to ensure everyone has the best experience, so in order to ascertain the extent to which its more than 7 million clients in Spain would recommend the company (through the NPS survey), MAPFRE relies on both telephone questionnaires and surveys. The surveys are sent by email whenever the client has a key interaction with the company. The jewel in the crown is an open field for customers to write any comments they have.
This open field has given the company the opportunity to gather 360º information, having an immediate, meaningful and direct conversation with the customer to find out their concerns; take action for specific needs identified through that conversation; improve the company’s processes; and, ultimately, set out strategies based on clients’ needs. Verbatims offers a comprehensive and pioneering way to listen to the client and transform their experience.
Verbatims uses artificial intelligence backed by human intelligence. The technological solution behind all this is Watson, a system developed by IBM in collaboration with MAPFRE that learns from natural language. Its ad hoc training has been instrumental in the project’s success. A transversal team within the company was in charge of customizing the learning by reading through thousands of survey comments from a range of territories and across all business lines; avoiding generic automation and extracting human details such as the tone, irony and emotion clients may use at any given time; and even analyzing the profile of neutral customers who go unnoticed in relational NPS surveys. The result of this gargantuan effort provided the AI system with different dictionaries for each line of business that are constantly being learned from.
Listen, delve into feedback, and take action
Verbatims continuously keeps track of the voice of the customer. It is able to identify clients’ emotional responses to MAPFRE and conceptualize these in qualitative terms. It also automatically cross-references comments left by clients in the open section of each survey. This level of depth enables us to capture how the user is feeling at that moment in time, identify the right time to act, and decide which specific team should do so.
If a client provides a positive response, an opportunity will arise to get in touch in order to reinforce this positive reaction and also help them with any other needs. If, however, we receive a response from a dissatisfied client, a solution to change this negative perception will be triggered. And this all happens in record time. Clients will receive a phone call within just two days of submitting a survey response. This action is also subsequently analyzed and measured. In the first 3 months of 2021 alone, more than 70,000 client engagement opportunities were identified.
Another feature that generates action initiatives is the virtual dashboard that shows all the qualitative information from users in real time. This knowledge and analysis allows MAPFRE to establish its value proposition and design all its processes and services with a true client vision.
Verbatims as a scalable innovative tool
In addition to revolutionizing the client-insurer relationship, use of verbatims is scalable to other business areas, applicable to different points along processes and, if its training is adapted, it has a clear future in multi-channel listening.
This innovative solution has enabled new operations to be created in the company such as #MAPFREstories, a line of communication that keeps the focus on people, including collaborators and professionals. It gathers stories that clients share about their experiences, which often mention the names of those who were part of those moments. #MAPFREstories is perceived as a means of communication with clients. The stories are built and defined by each and every client experience, enabling the company to learn from them and look after their relationships.
The analysis capability offered by this platform has driven a paradigm shift that is key to MAPFRE. Now, we are able to devise strategies based on the real needs and experiences of our clients.