Customer research is the key. A real commitment to gaining unbiased customer feedback on an ongoing basis is what positions today’s service providers to best serve their customers. A process called user-centred design (UCD) is changing how customers are consulted and how products and services are developed as a result.
UCD demands that the wants, needs and limitations of the customer are examined and incorporated into the design of a product or service. It is recognized as a best practice in diverse industries such as banking, technology and telecommunications, and now, this process has come to bear on the Canadian pension and benefits industry.
Involving Plan Members
UCD eliminates some of the guesswork of design by involving plan members directly throughout the process. It helps identify potential problems before they occur. And it produces a finished product or service experience that is more user-friendly, engaging and personalized.
Among the core tenets of UCD is the categorization of information according to what customers—in this case, plan members—want, need and expect, rather than along traditional business lines. Bruce Temkin, vice-president and principal analyst, customer experience, with Forrester Research, Inc. in Boston, describes the provider’s perspective as “self-centred design.” In a 2007 study entitled Experience-Based Differentiation, he writes: “Companies often lack a sharp, research-based understanding of their target customers. In this information void, people advocate for things that they personally like. When an exec says, ‘I don’t like this,’ or ‘That works for me,’ they’re typically focusing on their own needs.”
As providers in the Canadian pension and benefits industry continue to develop their self-service capabilities, the potential to incorporate UCD increases. For example, there are now more customized member websites and user-friendly interactive voice-recognition experiences available. UCD helps providers share massive amounts of information with plan members in a manageable way. This encourages confidence among plan members, which, in turn, results in more progressive utilization of the plan and a reduction in unnecessary support calls to the plan sponsor’s HR department.
There’s also been progress when it comes to information-sharing and cross-businessunit collaboration within some provider organizations. However, more work remains to be done. “When customers interact with companies across a number of different touchpoints, they view these interactions as part of a continuous relationship that occurs over time,” writes Temkin. “But few companies see it the same way.”
Consultation and Feedback
UCD is an operational process that includes regular consultation with plan members on the way a product or experience is created and how it can be improved. The user experience is built to satisfy plan members and their expectations of interactions with the provider. It’s the opposite of what has too often been expected of customers: that they adapt to the operational needs of the institution with which they do business.
The UCD process is implemented in six stages. As an example, consider a website design improvement that allows plan members to rearrange the home page so that content is available in the order they choose.
1) Concept – The initial concept is tested with plan members. Would they find it useful to be able to reorder content on the plan member website? How would they like to be able to do that? What kind of user experience are they looking for? Will the new functionality be confusing to some plan members? What’s the best way to explain this change? Member feedback is incorporated and also assists in the development of a communication plan.
2) Measurement – The functionality is measured against member expectations and usability best practices. Do plan members perceive value in being able to rearrange the home page content? How valuable is this functionality relative to other possible innovations? Does the concept have applicability elsewhere on the website?
3) Concept development – Further analysis is done on the concept and how members will experience it. If you can do this online, what kind of similar functionality can be developed for other plan member touchpoints such as the telephone? Consistency across channels is important. More members are introduced to the concept in order to measure its effectiveness and identify any potential flaws.
4) Fine tuning – The concept evolves through a number of iterations. Fine tuning happens as a result of direct input from plan members. If members find the experience inconvenient, difficult to understand or in any way suboptimal, this input is carefully considered.
5) Communication – Based on member feedback, a plan is developed to communicate the new functionality. While communication is an important part of the process, the goal with any change is that it should be intuitive and easy for plan members to understand.
6) Further measurement – Measurement of the new functionality continues even post-launch. How does the new functionality impact the plan member experience? Even at this late stage, unexpected results should be embraced as opportunities for further concept refinement.
The UCD approach involves a significant level of plan member participation in iterative research. The research can be quantitative (e.g., member surveys and user groups) as well as qualitative (from focus groups down to one-on-one discussions with individual members).
And while this approach requires a considerable commitment from the plan sponsor and the provider, it is worthwhile. When executed throughout the development process, UCD provides insights into plan members’ perceptions and behaviours before a product is launched or an experience is improved, resulting in products and services that are more highly valued and easier for members to use.
Even Greater Expectations
On the whole, the Canadian pension and benefits industry is beginning to adopt UCD as a best practice. This progress is important because plan members increasingly expect it. Canadians’ expectations of their service providers, their employers and, indeed, all institutions with which they have relationships, have been heightened by the Internet-powered best-practice experiences becoming more common today.
That’s why the launch of Internet banking was so successful: it’s what customers wanted and what they assumed would be made available to them. The same level of expectation extends to benefits and pension plan administration. By committing to the UCD process—providers and employers working together with plan members—we can significantly enhance the member experience. Plan members expect nothing less.
Eight Questions to Ask Your Providers 1. How often, and on what subjects, do you conduct research with plan members? 2. How does plan member feedback influence your organization’s activities? 3. How does plan sponsor feedback influence your organization’s activities? 4. What are you doing to constantly improve and simplify the experience, and to engage plan members? 5. What have you done to make the various plan member communication channels accessible to people with disabilities? 6. After you release a product or service, how do you measure the impact of the changes on the overall plan member experience? 7. How much does plan member feedback influence your organization’s decision-making when it comes to plans and priorities? 8. Do you have an individual or team within your organization that is responsible—and held accountable— for improving the plan member experience? |
Albert Lee is director, customer experience, with Sun Life Financial. albert.lee@sunlife.com
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