Leaders reflect on the dedication of Blue Cross customer service teams after observing member calls

A major part of being Minnesota’s most trusted health plan for 15 years in a row is the level of customer service provided to Blue Cross members. Blue Cross service teams manage 2.4 million calls a year, for an average of approximately 9,500 calls per day.

Our service teams are there to help members understand their benefits, check on the status of their claims and answer a wide range of important questions, to help pave the way for our members to focus on living their healthiest lives.

To better understand this fundamental work, Blue Cross associates recently gathered at company headquarters for a variety of activities aimed at providing a behind-the-scenes look at what Blue Cross member services teams do each day.

David Im, Chief Operating Officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, jumped at the chance to take part in the company’s Operations Day event.

How we interact with the member gives them an impression about who we actually are as a company,” said Im.

Im signed up to listen in on real-time customer service calls to observe how Member Experience Advocates provide members the help they need. He said he was eager to participate in this activity because he views member calls as an important benchmark for success.

“You can learn so much from every aspect of the calls,” he said. “For example, on the data side, if your customer service department is consistently receiving fewer calls, then that can indicate something is going well upstream.”

This year, Blue Cross was one of 600 companies nationwide to be recognized for America’s Best Customer Service by USA Today.

After listening to a few of those interactions first-hand, Im was impressed with what he heard, “The amount of professionalism and care that I observed clearly demonstrates why we have one of the best customer service departments in the country.”

Dan Stewart, Vice President of Commercial Markets at Blue Cross also signed up to observe member calls. “It’s very grounding as an employee to understand at the forefront what members are asking about and what our message is back to them,” Stewart said.

Stewart also commented on the high level of service that Blue Cross provides to members is what creates trust in the brand and sets the company apart from others, stating that, “Customer service is such a core component of what we offer in the marketplace, and it’s a point of pride for us.”

Stewart listened as Member Experience Advocate Janice Reed assisted members. She has been with Blue Cross for nearly three years and said allowing other associates to listen to her calls gives her an opportunity to showcase just how involved the process can be.

“We are navigating through many different systems and handling a lot of sensitive information with every call,” Reed said. “We are doing that in a respectful and courteous way to serve our members to the best of our ability.”

Reed said there is nothing quite like wrapping up a call with a member knowing she was able to get them the help they needed, “It makes me feel good, it makes my day. That’s what I’m here for.”

If you have questions about your Blue Cross plan, call the number on the back of your membership card to speak with one of our representatives.