For Medicaid plans, there has been a shift in the way members communicate. With a clear preference for texting over calls, it’s important to align with this preference. Further, SMS is an efficient channel of communication and can help your organization serve more members while improving quality. Whether it’s being used to send informational messages and reminders to the members, the benefits are numerous.
The key consideration before using more SMS messaging with your customers is to ensure you have a platform and process in place to handle the volume of communication. Make sure you are prepared for every new technology feature you offer to your customers. To efficiently manage customer SMS messages, there are a few different approaches. Here is some insight into a few of them.
Structured Query
A Structured Query is a workflow that compares incoming messages with a set of predefined scripts. When a match is found, the appropriate response is sent to the customer. Structured Queries are used in scenarios where large volumes of messages are expected. For example, it can be used by members to respond yes or no to questions like appointment confirmation. Having these responses processed by automated workflows enables your organization to work faster and more efficiently.
NLP and BOTs
If you need to ask more open-ended questions, Structured Queries may not be the best solution. For more open-ended questions, machine-learning software can help. NLP (Natural Language Processing) and Chatbots can learn to understand the intent of questions and use a knowledge base to provide answers to customers. The knowledge base is typically built on a set of FAQs. This can be scaled over time to provide answers to any member-raised queries.
Human Intervention with System Assistance
Lastly, there are times when technology alone won’t be able to meet the needs of your members. Sometimes scenarios arise where queries are not included in the knowledge base. This then requires intervention from operational staff. Customer service representatives can answer the unique questions raised by members and provide detailed responses. If you choose the right platform, these responses can be sent back to members as SMS as well. Be sure to look for a platform where staff can also quickly raise requests to include these new queries to the knowledge base to enhance customer service.
Turning to technology solutions such as SMS messaging can help your Medicaid plan empower your members to engage in their health. Typically, using new features like digital channels helps to greatly improve competition rates. For more information about how a platform like this can meet your organizational needs, learn how HealConnect can help.