Covid-19 has accelerated digital adoption and transformed consumer behavior

The Covid-19 crisis, being a leading topic throughout the event, has accelerated digital adoption and transformed consumer behavior. The increasing use of technology has shaped new digital habits and trends since the only opportunity to connect with the surrounding world being through digital channels.

Insurers need to accelerate digital transformation to become consumer-centric

Even if consumers have embraced digital tools and channels for many years, and despite extensive transformation plans pursued by many major insurance companies, progress in the industry has been slow. This has left many digital tools and channels inconvenient to use. With the current situation and social distancing in mind, consumers expect to engage with insurers in a different way – digital will drive a more enhanced customer experience and be less face-to-face-based. Sales, service, claims, and more will need to happen through digital channels – quickly and on-demand.

Insurers are now forced to look at digital solutions to meet the evolving mindset of today’s consumers. The stability that existed before has changed and the need to accelerate digital transformation in the insurance industry has never been more crucial. 

The shift to digital self-service

There is a growing trend towards digital self-service appearing, fueled by the pandemic. It’s about consumers wanting to find tools and information in order for them to find answers to their questions and gain a better experience with a product or a service. For the insurance industry, self-service could involve plan comparisons with quotation options. It may also be an online guide or a how-to page. This is increasingly a digital task. With the growth of AI technologies, insurance companies can digitalize their customer solutions and with the support of other self-help tools, like FAQ sections, consumers can easily find what they are looking for.

To be successful, insurers need to look at self-service through the eyes of the consumer. How will the customer interact with technology? One change in consumer behavior, as a result of the pandemic, is their willingness to shift loyalties. Consumers have been forced to look at alternatives to their preferred products and services because of supply chain disruption. This has resulted in consumers finding options that better met their needs.

For insurers, it is important to continue investing in digital capabilities that will elevate customer experience and drive operational improvements. Consumers want to invest using a variety of touchpoints, and as COVID-19 has shown us, having a digital infrastructure – online-, mobile-, and agency-optimized –can help them provide the digital and satisfying experience that they expect. The key is to ensure a high-quality experience using digital tools such as automation, remote capabilities with AI, and digital engagement tools.

Making the self-service aspects of a digital experience more customer-friendly goes a long way and as things come closer to “the new normal”, the preference for digital self-service, is most likely a trend that will continue.