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Comic Relief
November 25, 2009
By Mike Cuffe and Tom Yorton
To engage claims reps in learning, Farmers saw humor as the key, and turned to Second City Communications (SCC), the learning division of The Second City, to partner on developing a learning solution. The result: Customer Connection Corps (CCC), a blended learning program that produced a stronger focus on customer-centered service and sparked cultural change at Farmers.
Is there something funny about one of America's top insurance claims departments enlisting a world famous improv theater to help design a major blended learning program?
Funny—and spot-on effective. Especially when that collaboration produces statistically significant increases in customer satisfaction, strong internal buzz, and lasting change. What's more, Farmers Insurance Exchange's decision to tap Second City Communications—the learning and training division of improvisational company, The Second City—speaks to the power of innovative training programs that engage employees with compelling content.
Background on the Learning Challenge
Farmers set out to improve the phone skills and customer service of its 10,000 claims reps who adjust customer claims, both on the phone and in person, for all Farmers' lines of insurance.
To engage claims reps in learning, Farmers saw humor as the key, and turned to Second City Communications (SCC), the learning division of The Second City, to partner on developing a learning solution. The result: Customer Connection Corps (CCC), a blended learning program that produced a stronger focus on customer-centered service and sparked cultural change at Farmers.
The Solution
Farmers needed a learning solution that would:
•Set a strong customer-centered context for claims reps, including the range of perspectives customers bring to the claims process;
•Help reps build practical phone and interpersonal skills to meet a range of customer needs; and
•Provide engaging examples of well-executed customer interactions.
SCC's integrated solution includes videos for live sessions and posting to the CCC microsite—where a variety of Web-based content recruits claims reps to the CCC and keeps them coming back. Each format emphasizes the new customer-centered service ethic in a humorous, powerful way.
Connecting to the Audience With Powerful Content
Those videos provide reusable content elements that have been embedded in instructor-led training sessions delivered by faculty from the University of Farmers, Claims.
The power of connection is at the conceptual core—each video uses humorous characters who help "teach" a particular skill by setting them in a context familiar to claims reps. Additionally, claims reps are featured in situations that humorously illustrate wrong way/right way customer relations approaches. The videos talk about establishing rapport with customers, returning phone calls, successfully managing multiple priorities, connecting with empathy, active listening, and demonstrating a sense of urgency.
Building on the momentum of live sessions and excitement about the video segments, SCC created the Customer Connections microsite to showcase successful claims reps in short, fun video "snacks," creating a highly visible form of recognition and sharing best practices. In addition to video content, the site features tips, self-tests, and print stories. It can be viewed at: www.mycustomerconnections.com
The Second City Communications Difference
Farmers came to SCC armed with extensive research into the claims process and customer satisfaction drivers. It had identified the skills sets required to shift its claims reps to more engaged, customer-centered service.
Farmers valued SCC's disciplined approach to learning, which goes beyond humor for humor's sake and is grounded in 50 years of connecting successfully to audiences. SCC's integrated learning methods work because they:
1. Signal change: To drive a strong message about change and new behavior, Farmers opted for a dramatically different program—in both substance and style—than anything the company had done before. The changed medium, in this case, is a big part of the message.
2. Connect authentically: SCC's work reaches claims reps by showing them the reality of their lives, not a dressed-up, idealized version. This commitment to authenticity creates invaluable internal buzz.
3. Set important context: By placing performers in the claims world, Second City provides context and meaning, so Farmers claims reps connect and get the message quickly.
4. Involve the audience: SCC involves real Farmers claims reps as performers—in everything from video modules to the microsite.
5. Stress integration: Going far beyond the one-shot deal classroom delivery, CCC's blended solution includes integrated messages delivered in many ways—from video modules in live training to a microsite that reinforces key messages with fun, light, and often hilarious content.
Measuring Success
CCC's impacts were immediate and significant—and continue to drive positive outcomes today.
By mid-year 2009, Claims employees who had completed the CCC curriculum were posting significant improvement in all four key performance areas: speed in returning customer calls; demonstrating urgency; following through on commitments; and clearly explaining claims processes.
Assessing costs vs. benefits, the Farmers partnership with Second City represents a $300,000 annual expenditure (2008 and 2009; $400,000 budgeted for 2010). But CCC’s potential payoff is far greater: Independent research showed Farmers that, if it were to raise customer satisfaction scores to just 89 percent overall, the company would experience a $10 million positive impact on customer retention each year. It hit 90 percent in 2008 and neared 94 percent by mid-year 2009.
Next Steps
In late 2008, Farmers and Second City Communications commenced phase two of the Connections strategy, Coaching Connections, which addresses the up, down, and sideways relationships that constantly must be nurtured in high-functioning organizations.
Coaching Connections features a four-tier video and live-delivery curriculum, once again calling on the comedic talents of Second City's improvisational actors and introducing national coaching consultant Fred Harburg as the curriculum's leadership and performance coaching guru.
In 2010, Farmers will add Individual Connections, which will focus on interpersonal linkages between colleagues in departments and cross-functional work teams; between employees and supervisors, managers, and executives; and between Farmers employees and the customers they serve.
And in 2011, the Connections strategy will focus on Organizational Connections, to begin cementing the critical relationship between individual and organization as the foundational step in taking Farmers to a new level of operational excellence.
Mike Cuffe is VP of Claims Training & Development at Farmers Insurance. He is a leading authority on training and education systems and solutions. Tom Yorton is president and COO of The Second City where he specializes in helping clients use improv methods to meet learning and training needs across a broad spectrum.
For more information, visit www.mycustomerconnections.com
View a video case study at: secondcitycommunications.com
(Click on the Farmers Insurance post-it note)
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