About
Project Timeline provides real-time visibility of a vehicle repair status (waiting for parts, repair and part replacement, painting, assembly, and ultimately vehicle delivery) to the auto insurance customer, through messaging via WhatsApp or email.
Innovation presentation
Analyzing official complaints and follow-ups through Close The Loop (an initiative aimed at contacting detractors in the insurer’s Net Promoter Score evaluation to close service gaps), Zurich identified the lack of communication about the auto claims process as one of their customers’ major dissatisfactions.
This information gap led policyholders to need to contact their broker, the repair shop, or the call center to inquire about the progress of their claim, which increased overall dissatisfaction with the process.
Project Timeline was developed in this setting, as a tool focused 100% on the policyholder/third party. Through the tool, each repair stage within the partner repair shop (disassembly, waiting for parts, repair and part replacement, painting, assembly, and ultimately vehicle delivery) is updated in real-time to the customer via WhatsApp and e-mail. The initiative is entirely innovative in the Brazilian market, unparalleled among peers considering a communication outlet affording the same level of detail. The results obtained so far regarding customer satisfaction indices indicate the project is very successful, in which policyholders see value.
The implementation of Timeline began in November 2022 with the insurer’s 5 main referenced repair shops. Based on feedback from both partners and customers, the project continued to evolve, with the addition of more detailed information.
Follow-up: implemented in January 2023, the process consists of telephone contacts with repair shops that do not operate on Timeline (whether referenced or freely chosen), in order to collect the repair status and proactively address situations that may cause discomfort to our customers. Customers are provided with information in the process record, in a simpler way compared to Timeline.
It is important to emphasize that Timeline is part of a larger journey on the improvement of digital processes and customer experience. Zurich currently has an automated auto claims process – from claim notice to settlement –, that seeks to serve our customers fast, simply, and effectively, in addition to saving time and offering convenience to brokers.
Uniqueness of the project
The project is innovative because it further enhances the digital journey for the auto insurance customer, with proactive initiatives aimed at improving the customer experience at the time of the greatest pain with the insurance product (the claim), unparalleled in the Brazilian insurance market.
Furthermore, by promoting greater transparency in the claims process, project Timeline meets the current service demands, making the wait for vehicle repairs resemble that for an e-commerce delivery: by tracking the repair stages of their vehicle, the customer has more peace of mind and planning ability in the face of adversity.
