Richardson, TX, Nov. 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KBM Group Health Services has released a report based on proprietary research revealing that health insurers lag far behind other sources, including Internet websites, as a trusted source in health matters for consumers.
In today's open healthcare marketplace, escalating marketing costs make member retention a vital business priority. And, an aging population makes effective health management a matter of business survival as well as consumer survival. As a result, health insurers need to rethink consumer interactions to be more relevant and engaging to keep current members and promote healthier lifestyles.
"Healthcare communication must be rooted in trust. While there's nothing easy about changing consumer perceptions about the health insurance industry, it's absolutely critical to health insurers' long-term success," says Lindsay Resnick, chief marketing officer of KBM Group Health Services. "Understanding consumers, connecting with them on their terms, and nurturing a relationship of trust through a relevant member experience are the three keys to success."
The report, "Build Trust with Member Engagement," is based on analysis of 34,000 KBM Group consumer surveys, which focused on consumers' relationship with and attitudes toward their health insurers and providers. The research, completed with an independent research company, showed 80% of the consumers surveyed said they trusted their doctors for health advice, while only 22% said they trusted their health insurers. These results clearly illustrate the need for healthcare companies to communicate more effectively and persuasively with both prospects and customers to reflect and respond to their personal concerns and motivations.
"As today's healthcare customer assumes more responsibility for buying, budgeting and managing tough health care decisions, they need to trust the payers and providers they're dealing with," commented Resnick. "Relevant communications that go beyond transactional will create member experiences that can go a long way toward influencing healthier behavior, improved condition management, and assuring patient compliance with healthcare recommendations."
Visit our website for a copy of the White Paper "Build Trust with Member Engagement."
About KBM Group
KBM Group transforms marketing efforts into mutually beneficial customer conversations through data-driven insights. Based on a strategic approach to optimize business outcomes, KBM Group's world-class marketing solutions integrate offline and online marketing channels and allow companies to achieve high-performance B2B and B2C customer engagement and marketing ROI. The company offers a spectrum of services including consulting, data integration and database management, analytics, digital services, marketing management and outsourcing, creative services, and response services. KBM Group's parent company, Wunderman, is part of the Young & Rubicam Group and a member of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY). www.kbmg.com.