A recent Talkdesk survey has revealed that 91% of consumers consider the quality of customer service as a crucial factor in their decision to either stay with their current healthcare insurance provider or switch to a new one.
“The fact that 91% of consumers consider customer service when choosing their insurance provider is huge. Providers who nail this balance—leveraging tech while keeping the human connection strong—are the ones that will come out on top, attracting and keeping members across all age groups,” said Patty Hayward, vice president and general manager of Healthcare and Life Sciences atTalkdesk.
The biggest frustrations for consumers are long wait times (31%), receiving inconsistent information from agents (20%), and navigating long, complicated decision-making processes (14%).
However, many consumers are still open to AI-powered solutions. Over half (55%) of respondents say that AI can make healthcare insurance processes more efficient, with men (66%) more optimistic than women (46%) about AI’s potential benefits. In addition, 73% say that they are comfortable utilising chatbots for routine tasks like finding in-network providers or checking prescription coverage. As many as 41% believe an AI assistant could enhance their overall health management.
Despite growing interest in AI, the human element is still essential. In fact, 77% prefer speaking with a human for complex tasks like handling claims, and 72% favor human interaction for tasks requiring empathy. While 48% view human agents as more polite than AI, 55% think human agents are more prone to bias when dealing with sensitive health concerns.
Moreover, younger consumers (ages 18-24) are the most dissatisfied, with 34% likening their experience to “pulling teeth” and 36% reporting feelings of discrimination. In contrast, consumers over the age of 54 are the most satisfied with their services and the most driven to improve their well-being (63%).
Regarding their insurance coverage, 68% of respondents believe they are well-informed about it, 24% have been denied care due to complicated processes, and 29% say they’ve overpaid due to confusion.