Microsoft, Customer Care, and Health Insurance Companies
As announced last week at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft will release its Health Plan Sales Solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. This is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that would allow health insurance plans to move online.
The Health Plan Sales Solution is described as a platform allowing for a full CRM strategy across company management while still maintaining current company investments in data technologies. Microsoft Dynamics CRM can be used through Microsoft’s cloud computing or through some hybrid of on-premise software.
The release is driven by the recently passed health care legislation that will expand insurance to 32 million Americans by 2019, as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office. The push toward universal health care will force health insurance companies to become all the more competitive very soon. “In light of changing regulations, health plans must now focus on winning share and loyalty through adaptive and efficient sales processes and exceptional customer experience while preparing to integrate sales and service processes with each health insurance exchange in 2014,” said Dennis Schmuland, director of U.S. Health Plans Industry Solutions at Microsoft. Taking note of this, health insurance companies have shown interest in CRM technology.
With the application of CRM, health plans can become more efficient and organized. Insurance companies can operate on state health insurance exchanges, and sales and customer service can be better managed. Who knew health insurance companies would ever want that.
This is a welcome development for the health care world. It bodes well that health insurance companies are looking to improve their efficiency and customer care, as opposed to lording over their marketplace like modern railroad barons. Any step toward making health care a competitive industry is a good one. Wisely, Microsoft is trying to be one of the first with a hand in this change.
With the application of CRM, health plans can become more efficient and organized. Insurance companies can operate on state health insurance exchanges, and sales and customer service can be better managed. Who knew health insurance companies would ever want that.nice