Facebook’s Approach to Software Could Transform Your Claims Department

Any software company that makes $12.5 billion in one year deserves our attention. And when a company takes over the world as Facebook has, there has to be takeaways.

Mark Zuckerberg became rich by bringing Facebook to the masses because it became the ultimate employee: it is software that leaves the ultimate choice with the user. We can add a friend, delete an acquaintance, or hide an update. When we find something that is compelling to us, we’re one click away from liking it, commenting on it, or sharing it with all of our friends.

Software is most user-friendly and useful when it serves as our employee, not our boss. Let’s look at three ways that Facebook’s approach to software could transform the insurance claims system experience.

Facebook as an Inviting Host

Facebook shows claims executives how to lay out the red carpet for their employees who use claims software day in and day out. While approximately one billion people eagerly log in to Facebook each day, claims employees may be hesitant to log in to their claims software. Why the resistance?

Compare the typical claims software email inbox or dashboard with what an employee might see in Facebook. In their inbox or dashboard, they typically will see high-priority notification followed by high-priority notification. The majority of these notifications are not as urgent as the system would lead them to believe. As a result, they eventually become immune to the supposed urgency of the task. By pushing too hard for attention, these notifications act more like an impatient boss instead of a supportive employee.

Unlike claims software, Facebook doesn’t force users to log in by using harassment tactics. Like a great employee, Facebook gives users the right amount of information to encourage them to log in. Facebook tells its users everything they need to know in a few short sentences. No wonder users dislike logging in to their claims system but love logging in to Facebook.

Facebook as an Entertainer

Facebook knows that we’re not always in a good mood. If we go in and see nothing but spam, rants, and bragging, we will not enjoy our visit.

Facebook knows how to treat its guests. Rather than saddle them with terrible content, it uses analytics to hide the irrelevant information and show what will likely be most engaging to us. As a result, we keep coming back for more.

On the other hand, claims systems are far less sophisticated. They provide either too much information or too little. Claims employees don’t need to see every single update in every single claim on their dashboard. After all, they are the only ones who are entering information into those claim files.

It’s clear that the creators of most claims systems do not try to present users with a tailored perspective of the information that is most important to them. As a result, during the workday, users will likely do whatever it takes to get out of the claims system and into Facebook.

Facebook as the Messenger

Aside from entertaining us, Facebook gives us a voice. It encourages us to log in and contribute. We are one click away from sharing a link, photo, video, or story, or even confirming that we like something. Facebook provides us with a cockpit full of controls to let us say what we want to whom we want.

Your claims system, on the other hand, doesn’t provide its users with a voice. If they want to send messages to third party claims professionals, engineers, or attorneys, they can’t because that function is not available. Those parties don’t have access to your system.

Claims software and Facebook should have the same goals: support and engagement. When it comes to claims software, what matters most is whether users will choose to use it and how it will work for the user. Facebook teaches insurance companies that software should be their best employee, not their boss.

If your claims team hates your claims software but loves Facebook, you have a problem. Thanks to Facebook, the solution literally is right in front of you.