Trillium Software Releases Annual Insurance Claims Survey Findings: Focus on Claims Handling for Customer Satisfaction and Retention

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Apr 23, 2014) - Trillium Software, A Harte Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), and a leading global provider of data quality solutions for insurance, financial services and other vertical industries, has released the findings of its annual Insurance Claims Survey for 2013. The survey research points to insurers' increased focus on improving customer satisfaction and retention through more effective claims handling. More than 80 percent of respondents cited monitoring, evaluating and improving adjuster interactions with customers, and more than 60 percent identified reducing cycle times, as top claims initiatives for improving customer satisfaction.

Trillium's analysis of the survey results suggest it is essential that insurers understand the difference between simply processing a claim and handling it in a way that satisfies customer needs. The best way to accomplish this is to gather and analyze information from existing data sources, especially adjuster notes and unstructured data stored in a claims management system, to yield meaningful measures of customer interactions. This comprehensive data analysis will also provide insights to every step of the claims cycle, from first notice of loss to settlement, to determine which actions are slowing the claims process or costing the insurer too much money. 

Conducted in the fourth quarter of 2013, the survey aggregated information from nearly fifty property & casualty insurance claims executives, managers and adjusters in the United States to identify their priorities.

Additional highlights include:

• More than 66% of respondents indicated a lack of communication on claims process as one of the biggest obstacles for serving customer needs, followed by 50% stating a disagreement on claims decisions and more than 40% on the lack of returned phone calls,
• Over 50% indicate that improving staff performance with training is a top initiative for reducing operational costs,
• 65% state that information sharing across departments directly improves customers' experiences.

"The results of our survey demonstrate the need for insurance companies to better serve the needs of their customers through timely, courteous and accurate claims handling," said Michael Chochrek, insurance solutions principal consultant at Trillium Software. "By analyzing the full universe of claims data, including free form text and scanned documents, claims professionals can better understand their current interactions with customers to identify areas for improvement, while implementing processes that can reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their department."

To download the research, please click here or contact Trillium Software.

About Trillium Software
Trillium Software, A Harte Hanks Company, is a leading, global enterprise data quality solutions provider. Our data quality specialists help organizations achieve increased business from their data management initiatives and existing business-critical processes by providing enterprise data profiling and data cleansing software and services. Trillium offers industry-specific business solutions that help solve data problems experienced by financial services, banking, compliance, insurance, risk, and retail professionals. Trillium's full complement of technologies and services includes global data profiling, data cleansing, enrichment, and data linking for e-business, customer relationship management, data governance, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, data warehouse, and other enterprise applications. For more information about Trillium Software and its offerings, call (978) 436-8900 in the United States, in the United Kingdom call +44 (0) 118 940 7666, and +49 7031 714756 in Central Europe, or visit Trillium Software online at http://www.trilliumsoftware.com.

About Harte Hanks
Harte Hanks (NYSE: HHS) is one of the world's leading, insight-driven multi-channel marketing organizations, delivering impactful business results for some of the world's best-known brands. Through strategic agencies and our core marketing services, we develop integrated solutions that connect brands with prospects and customers, moving them beyond awareness to transactions and brand loyalty. Visit the Harte Hanks website at http://HarteHanks.com or call (800) 456-9748.

As used herein, "Harte Hanks" refers to Harte-Hanks, Inc. and/or its applicable operating subsidiaries, as the context may require. Trillium Software^®, Trillium Software System^®, Harte Hanks' logo and name are trademarks owned by Harte Hanks. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective owners.