August 6, 2024

Let’s start at the beginning, a very good place to start. 

‘Customers who feel they are being listened to, acknowledged and taken care of in a timely manner do not escalate to complaints.’  

Communication in any industry is the key to success; but when you are working with policyholders who have suffered a major loss to their home or business, empathy when their world has been turned upside down is vital. Whilst we may deal with these sorts of claims day in, day out, the policyholder hasn’t and they aren’t aware of the miracles this industry can perform. Ensuring we are all on the same page is vital, the policyholder has just gone through a frankly distressing experience, and they need to know who is there to do what to put them at ease. Managing and matching expectations is the key to making the process a positive one.

Communication can be one of the biggest failings in our industry, whenever something goes wrong, most of the time it can lead back to poor communication and not setting expectations. Disaster scenarios can be unpredictable and fluid, and we know that we can fix whatever is thrown at us, but does everyone involved know this? 

The art of introductions: good communication sets the claim up for success.  

Introductions are vital to the policy holder, so let me ask you this; how often do you introduce yourself and your role to the policyholder to explain what you are there to do and your timelines for results? There can be so many parties involved on a claim and because we do it every day, it can often slip our minds that a lack of proper introduction can be unsettling for the policy holder leading to confusion and panic. Consider a major loss scenario, a fire claim. Just how many people can attend site at once? One initial visit could include: a loss adjuster, brokers, damage management contractors, surveyors, engineers, loss assessors, forensics and specialist consultants. 

What should good communication look like?  

We have all heard of the saying ‘first impressions last’ so taking 5 minutes to introduce yourself and your role within the claim lays a good foundation and helps to put the policy holders mind at ease.  

We need to ensure we are reading from a common script; that is that the beliefs, norms, values and expectations of the policyholders are understood, and every effort is made to provide them with a service that matches. So ask yourself ‘what is it that I would like to know if I were in their shoes’ that’s all we need to answer. 

Whilst it is a noble intent to rush to action when we see the problem, a breakdown in communication during the claim process can backfire. We see these issues on various claims and it is easy to forget that the policyholder has gone through a traumatic experience and typically all they need is to know what is being done to fix the issue. In our experience, policyholders need to know:  

• Who we are and what we are here to do 
• What we are here to investigate 
• How that will be reported  
• Timelines for reviews and scope of works 
• Timelines for actions 
• Who to speak to if they require any more information  
• Who will be showing up, when and why you have instructed them  

Communication is the first element to help put the policyholder at ease and ensure that the claim is a collaborative process, rather than an adversarial one. Introductions are the first step to improving communication throughout the claims process. With our Business Recovery Project Management, DF&A act as a central pivot during the claim, handling the communication with stakeholders and driving the claim forward. For more information on our project management services visit: https://www.davis-french-associates.co.uk/business-recovery-project-management/