What solutions can we use to deliver the best-possible customer support?
Over and above supplying effective and reassuring insurance solutions, providing our customers with day-to-day support means giving them all the information they need to make the absolute most of our services. The availability of clear instructions on how to proceed and updates on how their claim or complaint is progressing are key drivers of customer satisfaction.
Infographics are powerful visual tools in this respect, because they deliver that clear explanation and facilitate a quick response. With this in mind, we created a series of six infographics in 2021 with the aim of simplifying the customer journey. In June 2021, we introduced a new set of infographics specific to complaints handling in France, which was then rolled out to other countries. They set out the main stages of the complaints process and explain how the customer’s complaint will be handled.
Effective signposting of how requests will be handled is key to delivering on our peace of mind guarantee for customers. That’s why the design of an infographic is all about delivering accurate information that everyone can easily absorb and understand.
- 7
7Informative infographics
- 8
8countries involved
in complaints handling
- +100 000
+100 000downloads
of all infographics since January 2022
A visual explanation of complaints handling stages
According to our complaints handling processes, which are available on request, a complaint is defined as “any spontaneous formal notification of dissatisfaction, whether justified or otherwise, which is expressed verbally or in writing by, or on behalf of, an existing or prospective customer regarding an insurance product or service sold by an AXA Partners entity”. When a customer contacts us about a dispute or lack of information, it’s absolutely essential that we respond quickly. We need to be even more responsive where the situation is urgent and potentially stressful for the policyholder.
Here again, the visual format of infographics is perfect for creating a clear presentation of the sequence of steps in the complaints process. Once in possession of the right information, the customer feels more at ease with this uncomfortable situation, because they know how and when our teams will provide them with the support they need.
Complaints: increasing efficiency by automating access to information
As soon as a customer sends an e-mail complaint about an AXA Partners product or service, an automatic reply containing the link to the complaints infographic is sent to that customer immediately. Clicking that secure link shows them the next steps in the process.
This automated e-mail system delivers 3 distinct benefits:
- Firstly, it confirms to the customer that their request has been received by our teams.
- Secondly, linking to the infographic provides them with precise information about the steps involved in handling their complaint.
- Lastly, the e-mail reduces the number of follow-ups from customers wanting to know what has happened to their request.
Jean-Baptiste Burin
Head of Customer Experience & User Experience at AXA Partners
Giving customers clear steps is a key driver of satisfaction in everything we do, and complaints are no exception. Customer experience was the most important criteria for creating this type of infographic. So with that in mind, our team produced a Complaints infographic with a clear, simple, easy-to-understand visual design.
A complaints infographic adapted to the needs of each country
Originally launched in France, the complaints infographic has already been translated and implemented in other regions of the world, including Chile, Argentina and Mexico. Because each country has its own requirements and expectations, this transposition of the format is not always straightforward.
The language barrier is another major issue, since sentences may convey different messages to customers when translated literally into other languages. Nevertheless, we have succeeded in all these challenges by making the decision to retain the same infographic and adapt it as closely as possible to local contexts. This has proven a wise choice, since it has allowed AXA Partners to leverage unique content in a very effective way.
Improved customer relationships
The experience gained since the launch of the complaints infographic has shown us the true efficiency and value of this method of information delivery in terms of improving customer relationships. The number of follow-up messages received from policyholders within 15 days of sending us their complaints has reduced as a result of showing the usual complaint handling lead times in the infographic.
The follow-up ratio was only 0.8% during the period measured, compared with 1.7% for the same period of 2020. In 2019, it was 1.3%.
The format also appeals to our teams
It's really useful, and provides a clear and detailed overview of the complaint handling process and its timeline.
The information is clear and understandable for all our customers, regardless of age. The timeline is shown in a customer-friendly way, and the complaints handling process is explained accurately in just a few words.
Infographics provide clear and direct customer communication. This way, we can anticipate any doubts that may arise, and show customers what they can expect on the journey through to resolution, which reduces the need for customers to contact us, because they can see the timeline and next steps for themselves. The Complaints Infographics are clear, direct and genuinely helpful.