What do consumers expect from enrollment technology?

In just about any business, seamless technology and a fantastic customer experience is no longer just a “nice to have”; it’s a requirement for success. Companies like Amazon and Uber have raised the bar, making the expectations for simplicity and convenience higher than ever. With the click of a few buttons you can have just about anything you need delivered to your doorstep.



The insurance industry has tended to move slower, but we’re far from immune from the effects of this trend. Case in point, you won’t find many cases where there’s a ton of excitement for paper applications anymore. As Trustmark has been in the process of developing new technology solutions, we’ve identified a few key features that consumers expect from enrollment technology.

• Usability – For consumers, insurance can often be challenging to understand. The technology we use to conduct enrollments shouldn’t add to that challenge, it should address it. Consumers expect a system that is intuitive and straightforward. The training they receive should be on the benefits, not on how to use the enrollment technology provided. While at Trustmark we don’t focus on self enrollments, a system should be user-friendly to the point that consumers can self-enroll if necessary. 
• Seamlessness - An enrollment tool needs to feel seamless to an end user. While there are cases where you may have to link to multiple carrier’s information or different resources, it should always maintain a consistent look, feel and functionality for your end users. It’s easy enough for consumers to get lost in all the insurance options and products during enrollment; having to toggle through a number of different screens, each with its own look and functionality, will only add to the confusion. This can’t just be front-facing either, technology has to be seamless in terms of data feeds and back end integration to be successful. It’s every bit as much about supporting HR and leadership as it about supporting the rest of the workforce.
• Compatibility – Innovation is key to improving the insurance protection we provide for policyholders. But, what can be frustrating is creating an innovative product or product feature, then running into a system that isn’t compatible with that feature. Products and the protection they offer shouldn’t be restricted by an enrollment system. Compatibility with all products and product features is a must for consumers when it comes to enrollment technology – it’s the key to offering consumers the security they need.
• Responsive service – Every system runs into bugs and needs for improvement. You can’t just say, “build a system without flaws”, because that’s impossible. So, the important thing becomes how the system provider reacts to issues discovered in their system. A key part of providing an effective enrollment technology solution is customer service. Employers are looking to work with a provider that is responsive, knowledgeable and flexible to help assist when, inevitably, they need support.

When you look back at these guidelines, they’re really not that specific to the voluntary benefits world. These are expectations from consumers that are universal, but they are uniquely magnified given what’s at stake in our industry. If we want our customers to understand their benefits, appreciate them and to purchase the protection they need, we need to start by meeting their expectations when it comes to technology.