There’s An App For…That?
Need to know what time the movie downtown is playing? Need to make a reservation at your favorite restaurant? Need to know how many calories are in that strawberry milkshake you’re craving? No worries! You can have all three done in a matter of minutes with only the literal lift of a finger. In a world dominated by mobile technology, it was only a matter of time before the insurance industry started to get app-fever.
A recent article at the National Underwriter’s propertycasualty360.com urges insurers to begin exploring the possibilities that smartphone applications can bring to their company. Reporting claims and making premium payments are just the beginning. Imagine being able to take and upload pictures of a car accident scene before the police even arrive, or being able to record the other party’s insurance information in five easy steps. Some companies allow their customers to photo and document personal property items in their home, and download receipts for big purchase items. Proof of loss and claims adjusting could be streamlined with the touch of a few buttons.
The article also makes note of consumers’ expectations regarding the new app trend. Recent generations are growing up surrounded by the digital age and will expect the products they consume to be growing digitally as well. Pulling up a company’s current website via mobile phone no longer makes the cut for today’s tech-savvy population. Customers will be looking for mobile applications that meet their on-the-go needs, and take messy and difficult to navigate sites and make them easily accessible and functional at a moment’s notice. We are a fast-paced, on-the-move, touch-of-our-fingers society, and we are always looking for ways to improve on those things.
Some may savor the days when we weren’t always so busy; when customer satisfaction meant face-to-face contact and personal assurance from a real, live company representative. What do you think? Will modernizing the insurance world into the mobile app age benefit customer relations? Do you think insureds will eventually be more inclined to shop for a better app rather than a better rate?