Empowering customers to own their recovery journey

Last updated on May 11, 2023 
Our new Enriching Customer Connections (ECC) innovation program aims to bolster resilience in Personal Injury customers so they can bounce back from adversity.

People’s ability to withstand a traumatic event and bounce back from it can be astonishing. What they have in common is a fundamental resilience that allows them to absorb adversity and come back better than ever.  

Resilience is an innate human trait that can be learned and developed. When harnessed effectively, it can be used as a powerful tool to overcome setbacks and get life firmly back on track.

Inspired by the role that resilience can play in helping people recover from physical and psychological adversity, we’ve been exploring how we can help our Compulsory Third Party (CTP) customers. The result is a new initiative called the ECC innovation program. 

The ECC innovation program has been designed to better the experience of our Personal Injury customers who have a lodged a CTP claim with us. 

Crucially, we’re improving how our frontline Claim Managers engage with customers by providing them with the skills and confidence they need to help customers on their path to recovery. The program also aims to empower our customers to take control of their recovery journey and use resilience tactics following a setback.

Dominique Faugeras, Allianz Medico Legal Services Manager, was instrumental in setting up the ECC innovation program. She says examining cases in which customers felt in control of their future helped guide the ECC innovation program’s philosophy.

“The Long Tail Claims team work with a lot of people whose injuries have had a far-reaching impact on their lives,” Dominique says. “We asked ourselves: how can these people have experienced traumatic injuries, yet they’re able to overcome adversity and find renewed life purpose?”

Dominique says the team reflected on the question and discovered that resilience was a common theme among people who responded well to the injury management process. “They’re more likely to believe that their recovery is within their control, they’re more likely to engage in treatment and they’re open to receiving support to help them recover,” she says.

“That’s when the ECC innovation program came to life. We realised that a person’s resilience isn’t fixed – it can be learned and developed with careful assistance.”

Dominique Faugeras, Allianz Medico Legal Services Manager

In response to our findings, Allianz’s Long Tail Claims team has implemented three customer-centred initiatives to bring the ECC innovation program to life. 

The first has been to reimagine the language used in written communications to customers. We’ve personalised the communications customers receive, simplifying the language used and reframing the message to focus positively on customers’ recovery journeys.

The second has been to co-design training sessions in partnership with AP Psychology & Consulting Services, that give our frontline claims managers the tools they need to support customers on their resilience journeys and help them carry out difficult and sensitive customer interactions. The objective is to help our claims managers have more enriching conversations with their customers, thereby helping customers develop resilience and take ownership of their recovery.

Lastly, the ECC innovation program, has pioneered the use of a virtual platform for scenario-based learning which was co-designed with AP Psychology & Consulting Services. Our team reflected on some of the common pain points during conversations between Claim Managers and customers and picked out interactions that we could learn from. We created a virtual platform that provides Claim Managers with constructive conversational ‘pathways’ to explore with their customers. The platform has been used in a military setting before, but its use in an insurance setting is unique.

Researchers at the University of Sydney have contributed to strengthening the ECC innovation program by evaluating its impact on the learner experience and learning outcomes, as well as customer recovery outcomes and the frequency of disputes. 

Dominique says building deep levels of trust between CTP customers and Claim Managers is essential to the success of the ECC innovation program.

“We’re training our Claim Managers to deal with customer claims with a great deal of sensitivity. When a customer is having a terrible time in their life, it’s important that they have access to a Claim Manager who can guide them in a compassionate, empathetic way.”

Establishing trust becomes a way for customers to understand that they can connect with their Claim Managers whenever they need to.

“As much as we’re encouraging customers to take ownership of their own recovery, we’re there to walk alongside them as well,” Dominique says. 

“As an insurer, we have a greater role to play than just helping someone overcome their physical and mental health injury – we have a responsibility to connect them back to the life activities that matter most to them.”

Disclaimer

This article has been prepared by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL234708 (“Allianz”). In some cases, information has been provided to us by third parties and while that information is believed to be accurate and reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed in any way. 

Any opinions expressed constitute our views at the time of issue and are subject to change. Neither Allianz, nor its employees or directors give any warranty of accuracy or accept responsibility for any loss or liability incurred by you in respect of any error, omission or misrepresentation in this article.

Allianz acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work across Australia. We pay our respect to First Nations Elders past and present.



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