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Healthcare Member Enrollment and Onboarding: Challenges, Solutions, and Best Practices

Posted on July 27, 2026 by SmartComm

Enrollment and onboarding are among the most critical moments in the member lifecycle. Yet for many health plans, these processes remain fragmented, manual, and difficult to scale.

That creates a dangerous combination: operational inefficiency, rising cost, and a poor first impression for members.

And the data backs it up. A recent McKinsey study found that most Medicare Advantage members are dissatisfied with their onboarding experience. And recent J.D. Power studies show that new members of commercial health plans are significantly less satisfied than established members, with onboarding experience being a major driver of dissatisfaction. That’s not just an experience issue; it’s a business problem.

Why is Healthcare Member Onboarding So Difficult?

If you step inside most payer environments, enrollment and onboarding aren’t owned by a single system—or even a single team.

Instead, they span:

Exchange platforms and broker portals
Core administration systems (Facets, QNXT, TriZetto EAM)
CRM applications
Billing systems
Communication platforms and print vendors

Each system performs a function. But none owns the experience.

The result?

Data is captured in one system, validated in another, and communicated somewhere else
Manual intervention fills the gaps
Errors introduced early propagate downstream

This fragmentation is systemic across payer operations. Even broader payer workflows suffer from siloed systems and disconnected engagement tools, which continue to degrade member experience and operational visibility.

The Real Cost of Healthcare Onboarding Inefficiency

The impact of these issues isn’t always immediately visible—but it shows up everywhere:

1. Revenue Leakage and Delays

Nearly 46% of healthcare organizations report revenue impact from slow or inefficient enrollment workflows.

Delays in onboarding don’t just slow operations, they delay payment and activation.

2. Rising Administrative Costs

McKinsey estimates that automation and digital transformation can deliver $150M–$300M in administrative savings per $10B in revenue for payers. That 1.5-3% savings would flow down to the bottom line; a margin boost even smaller payers would like to see.

That number is driven largely by:

Manual enrollment processing
Data rework
Print-heavy communications
Call center demand

3. Call Center Overload

Enrollment and onboarding confusion directly translates into demand.

Healthcare call centers:

Handle ~2,000 calls per day on average
Have only a 52% first-call resolution rate

And much of that volume is preventable.

Many of those calls are caused by confusion about:

ID cards
Coverage dates
Provider networks
Benefits

Clarifying these would drive down avoidable calls, repeat contacts, and cost-to-serve.

4. Data Errors and Rework

Enrollment depends heavily on 834 transactions. But poor data quality, missing fields, and transaction errors require constant intervention and reconciliation—which can delay onboarding and even prevent timely delivery of ID cards and welcome materials.

Why are the First 90 Days so Important for Member Engagement?

Operational inefficiency is only part of the story. The bigger issue is experience. The first 90 days set the tone for the entire member relationship, influencing trust, engagement, satisfaction, and long-term retention.

The first 90 days determine:

Whether members understand their benefits
Whether they engage with care
Whether they stay

And today, those early experiences are often broken.

Members are frequently:

Overwhelmed with generic communications
Confused about what their plan covers
Unsure how to use benefits

Less than 25% of members actively engage with their health plan during the first 90 days.

That’s a missed opportunity and a revenue risk. Because when members don’t understand their plan, they churn. In fact, onboarding-driven confidence is one of the strongest predictors of retention and satisfaction in healthcare plans.

Why Can’t Core Payer Systems Deliver Modern Onboarding Experiences?

Traditional enrollment and onboarding systems can’t solve today’s challenges because they weren’t designed to deliver connected, omnichannel member experiences.

Most payers have already invested heavily in core systems.

These platforms are essential for:

Eligibility
Enrollment transactions
Billing
Claims

But they were never designed to deliver:

Personalized communications
Omnichannel engagement
Dynamic onboarding journeys
Real-time data capture experiences

Those gaps are where the problem lives. Payers aren’t lacking systems. They lack connection between them.

A New Approach: Connecting the Enrollment Experience

Leading payers are shifting their mindset. For them, enrollment and onboarding are no longer treated as back-office processes. They’re being reimagined as connected, end-to-end experiences.

That transformation focuses on four key capabilities:

1. Data Capture: Capture complete and accurate data at the point of entry

2. Communications: Deliver clear, personalized, and compliant information

3. Journey Orchestration: Guide members across channels and time

4. Content Governance: Ensure consistency, compliance, and scalability

Individually, these exist. Together, they transform onboarding.

What Should Health Plans Looks for in an Enrollment and Onboarding Solution?

Modernizing enrollment and onboarding isn’t just about replacing technology. It’s about choosing a solution that can simplify operations while creating better member experiences across the entire journey.

As you evaluate options, look for capabilities that help connect processes, communications, and experiences rather than adding another point solution to your technology stack.

A modern enrollment and onboarding solution should include:

Guided digital forms that simplify data collection, reduce errors, and help members complete enrollment with confidence.
Omnichannel communications that deliver consistent, personalized experiences across email, SMS, web, print, and other preferred channels.
Workflow automation that reduces manual effort, streamlines approvals, and keeps enrollment moving without unnecessary delays.
Event-driven journeys that trigger the right communication at the right time based on member actions and lifecycle events.
Integrations with core administrative systems and existing technologies to eliminate duplicate data entry and improve operational efficiency.
Content governance that enables teams to manage communications centrally while maintaining consistency across products, brands, and channels.
Audit trails and version control that support compliance, simplify reporting, and provide confidence that the right content reaches the right members.
Scalability that allows organizations to start with a single use case and expand across products, lines of business, and member journeys over time.

The right solution shouldn’t just improve one part of the process. It should create a connected foundation that helps health plans deliver better member experiences, operate more efficiently, and adapt as expectations and business needs evolve.

How Smart Communications Helps Payers Close the Gap

At Smart Communications, we’ve seen firsthand how connecting these capabilities transforms both operations and experience.

We help payers modernize enrollment and onboarding through four integrated capabilities:

Intelligent Data Capture

Guided, dynamic enrollment experiences
Real-time validation to prevent errors
Reduced rework and faster processing

Personalized Communications at Scale

Automated welcome kits, ID cards, and onboarding materials
Omnichannel delivery (print, email, SMS, digital)
Clear, plain-language communication

Member Journey Orchestration

Event-driven onboarding journeys
Personalized, milestone-based engagement
Continuous interaction across the first 90 days

Content & Compliance Control

Centralized content management
Version control and audit readiness
Faster updates across markets and products

Smart Communications customers leveraging these strategies have seen dramatic reductions in call volume—up to 80% in some cases.

Extending (Not Replacing) Core Systems

A key advantage of this approach is that it works with existing infrastructure. Core systems from HealthEdge, TriZetto, and others remain the system of record.

Smart Communications becomes the experience layer that:

Connects data across systems
Eliminates manual handoffs
Enables real-time, event-driven communication
Accelerates change without core system releases

It’s integration—not replacement—that unlocks value.

What Modern Enrollment and Onboarding Deliver

When enrollment and onboarding are transformed, the results are measurable:

40–70% reduction in manual effort
20–50% faster onboarding cycles
30–60% reduction in compliance defects
Significant reductions in call volume
10–25 point improvements in member satisfaction scores

And perhaps most importantly:

Lower cost-to-serve
Faster revenue realization
Higher retention rates

From Cost Center to Competitive Advantage

Enrollment and onboarding will always be complex. Regulatory requirements will continue to evolve. Volume will continue to grow. But complexity doesn’t have to create friction.

The organizations leading in this space aren’t simplifying the ecosystem, they’re connecting it. They understand that:

Data drives accuracy
Communication drives understanding
Experience drives retention

And when those elements come together, onboarding becomes more than a process. It becomes a competitive advantage.

Final Thought

The first 90 days of the member relationship are too important to leave to fragmented systems and manual processes.

Enrollment and onboarding are more than operational steps. In fact, they’re an opportunity to create defining moments.

If you’re thinking about how to modernize them, now’s the time. Explore how leading payers are transforming onboarding. Connect with Smart Communications to see what’s possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do health plans need to improve member engagement after onboarding?
Health plans need to improve member engagement after onboarding because early interactions build trust, encourage healthier behaviors, and drive long-term satisfaction and retention.

Q: What are the biggest challenges in payer enrollment and onboarding?
Fragmented systems, manual processes, poor data quality, and inconsistent communications create inefficiencies, errors, and poor member experiences.

Q: Why is onboarding so important in healthcare?
Onboarding shapes first impressions, influences CAHPS and Star Ratings, and directly impacts retention and engagement.

Q: How does onboarding affect call center volume?
Member confusion during onboarding, especially around benefits and coverage—drives avoidable call volume and repeat contact.

Q: What results can health plans expect from modernization?
Health plans can achieve significant gains, including reduced cost, faster onboarding, improved compliance, and higher satisfaction.

Q: Can enrollment modernization improve star ratings?
Yes, enrollment modernization can support higher Star Ratings by improving member engagement, increasing preventive care participation, reducing confusion, and creating more timely, personalized communications throughout the member journey.

Q: How does Smart Communications help?
Smart Communications connects data capture, communications, orchestration, and content into a unified experience layer without replacing core systems.

Call Me, Maybe? Why Clear Customer Communications Matter More Than Ever

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Dani Duffy

By Dani Duffy, Content Marketing Manager at Smart Communications

If you’re the parent of a young adult like I am, you’ve probably witnessed the same scenario: they’ll do just about anything to avoid calling customer service.

They’ll search FAQs, open a chat, or send a message before picking up the phone. That behavior is a signal, not a phase.

Customers increasingly expect interactions to be digital-first, on-demand, and frictionless. In our latest benchmark research, 67% of customers said they’re likely to use digital self-service options, with that number climbing to 76% for Gen Z and 77% for Millennials.

But choosing digital channels doesn’t mean lowering expectations. Customers expect those experiences to make sense immediately without additional effort on their part. Sound familiar?

That’s where smarter storytelling comes in. Regardless of channel, whether it’s a printed letter, an email, or a text, customers don’t simply receive communications. They interpret them and decide (within seconds!) whether to engage or ignore.

Remember: winning organizations tell clearer, more relevant stories designed for how modern customers behave.

What the Data Says

If customers are avoiding traditional support channels, communications suddenly carry more responsibility. They’re not just informing people; increasingly, they’re replacing conversations altogether. The data from our benchmark research makes that shift difficult to ignore.

Perhaps the most telling finding is that customers often seek assistance not because they prefer human interaction, but because the communication itself didn’t get them where they needed to go in the first place. 43% say they contacted customer service instead of completing a process digitally because communications were unclear.

That becomes even more important when viewed alongside generational preferences. Younger audiences aren’t just adopting digital channels; they actively prefer them.

Likelihood of using digital self-service for tasks like asking questions, filing complaints, or making changes:

76% of Gen Z
77% of Millennials

And when processes still require manual effort, patience starts to disappear quickly.

Percentage saying it’s important for organizations to offer digital data collection instead of printing, scanning, or mailing forms:

72% of Gen Z
81% of Millennials

Taken together, these findings suggest something larger than a channel preference shift. Communication volume isn’t shrinking. It’s simply moving into different places and taking on different forms.

Customers still need guidance. They still need reassurance. They still have questions.

They just increasingly expect the answers to come through intuitive digital experiences rather than phone calls.

Why Does Storytelling Matter More Than Ever?

Storytelling is grounded in how people process information. Research in psychology shows that when individuals engage with a narrative, they experience “narrative transportation,” becoming mentally immersed in the message. In that state, they’re more likely to understand, remember, and act on what they’re seeing.

Just as importantly, stories reduce friction. Instead of forcing people to interpret dense or fragmented information, a well-structured narrative presents a clear sequence: what happened, what it means, and what to do next. Studies have found that this format lowers resistance and improves comprehension, making it easier for audiences to engage without second-guessing or seeking additional support. That matters even more in a digital-first world.

Spotify offers a useful example on how to transform customer behavior into a personalized narrative through its “Wrapped” campaign. Instead of receiving statistics, users received a story about themselves. The result was more than 500 million engaged users within 24 hours, with sharing activity increasing 41% year over year. This doesn’t mean your organization needs a viral campaign. Rather, it’s a sign that customers engage deeply when communication with a brand feels personal, contextual, and built around them.

As customers increasingly favor quick, self-service interactions over phone calls, communications need to do more of the heavy lifting. Your communications are more than touchpoints; they’re stand-ins for conversations. The organizations that get those conversations right are designing them as intuitive, story-driven experiences that guide customers to action.

What Does Smarter Storytelling Look Like, Practically?

Smarter storytelling means making every interaction easier to understand and easier to act on. That starts with context, using customer data to make communications feel relevant rather than generic. It requires structure, guiding people through a clear sequence of what happened, what it means, and what to do next.

It also means adapting experiences to the channel itself, recognizing that a text message, email, mobile experience, and printed communication each create different expectations. Increasingly, the most effective communications also become interactive, allowing customers to move directly from understanding a situation to resolving it.

Customer Service Isn’t Disappearing

Customer service still matters, and it always will.

But for a growing segment of customers, support is becoming something they prefer to avoid rather than rely on. Communications increasingly need to do the work conversations once did.

The question isn’t whether you’re communicating. It’s whether your communications are doing the job of a conversation. Delivering communications this way requires more than document generation. Organizations need to personalize content, orchestrate delivery across channels, and guide customers toward the next best action.

Ready to explore the latest digital experience insights?

For more coverage on customer communications, data intake, channel preferences, and more, access the full Benchmark Research here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do customers contact customer service instead of using self-service?

When communications lack clarity or structure, customers are more likely to disengage or seek support through alternative channels. In many cases, unclear messaging becomes the trigger for customer service contact, increasing operational load and frustration. This is why communication design directly impacts both customer satisfaction and service demand.

Q: How can organizations operationalize smarter storytelling at scale?

Organizations can operationalize smarter storytelling by combining customer data, workflow automation, and channel orchestration. This enables communications to be dynamically personalized, consistently structured, and automatically delivered through the most appropriate channel. Scalable storytelling also requires governance to ensure tone, clarity, and compliance remain consistent across journeys.

Q: When should customers still be routed to human customer service?

Human customer service remains essential when issues are complex, emotionally sensitive, or require judgment that automated systems cannot provide. While smarter communications can resolve many routine interactions, they should be designed to reduce — not eliminate — the need for human support. The most effective models combine self-service resolution with clear escalation paths to human assistance when needed.

Q: How does Smart Communications help regulated industries increase communication clarity and storytelling relevance?

SmartCOMM™ and SmartPATH™ help turn individual communications into connected customer journeys.

How Should Insurers Prepare for More Frequent Natural Disasters? Improving Customer Engagement Before a Claim Happens

Posted on July 13, 2026 by Eileen Potter

By Eileen Potter, VP of Insurance Marketing at Smart Communications

In the first part of this series, we explored how an increasingly volatile global catastrophe environment – spanning hurricanes, wildfires, floods, severe storms, and other natural disasters—is placing new pressure on insurers to rethink how they engage with customers when they’re dealing with a loss.

But the most effective catastrophe response strategies don’t begin when a claim is filed. They begin long before a disaster occurs.

The experience a customer has during a claim is often shaped by what they learned months earlier: how their policy was explained, how expectations were set, and whether they were given clear guidance on what to do if something goes wrong.

Preparation, in this context, is not just operational. It’s about what the experience is like for your customers.

Why is Customer Education So Important Before a Catastrophe Event?

One of the most common causes of customer frustration during a claim is uncertainty about coverage.

Many policyholders don’t fully understand:

What their policy covers
What exclusions apply
What deductibles they are responsible for
What documentation is required during a claim
How the claims process works

And although insurers can (and should) be thoughtful about creating policy packets that are easy to navigate, much of the language in those documents is regulated, with insurance-specific terms that aren’t always easy for a customer to clearly interpret.

Clear, concise policy summaries – provided at purchase and reinforced at renewal – can significantly improve understanding. Instead of relying solely on the actual policy documents, insurers can offer practical explanations of:

Coverages and limits
Specific exclusions
Claims expectations
Important deadlines
Recommended next steps after a loss

This isn’t about removing necessary details. It’s about making critical information easier to understand and act on.

When customers understand their policy in advance, they are better prepared to act quickly and confidently during a loss, regardless of whether that loss is caused by wind, fire, water, or another hazard.

How Can Proactive Communication Improve Catastrophe Preparedness?

Customer engagement should not begin when a hurricane warning is issued or wildfire evacuation orders are announced. Leading insurers engage customers before disaster strikes.

Proactive communications can help policyholders prepare for potential loss events by providing guidance on:

Documenting homes, vehicles, and personal property
Securing homes against specific risks such as wind, fire, or water damage
Understanding deductibles, coverage triggers, and limits
Preparing for evacuation scenarios where relevant
Knowing how and where to initiate a claim
Understanding available self-service options

These touchpoints are relatively simple – but they shift the nature of the relationship.

Rather than engaging only when something goes wrong, insurers provide value in advance. This helps build trust and positions the insurer as a partner in preparedness, not just a provider of coverage.

Additionally, preparation is most effective when it is regionally relevant.

Customers in wildfire-prone areas require different guidance than those in flood zones or hurricane corridors. Tailoring communication based on geographic risk ensures that it is not just proactive – but that it is meaningful.

Where Do Most Customer Experience Breakdowns Occur?

In many cases, they occur when customers are simply trying to find information.

During or after a disaster, policyholders often need to access policy details, confirm coverage, or check claim status quickly. Yet that information is frequently scattered across multiple systems, emails, and portals.

This introduces unnecessary friction at the worst possible time.

The challenge is even greater for insurers operating across multiple regions, where systems and customer touchpoints may differ by market.

A better engagement model provides a single, reliable way for customers to access what they need. Policy information, communications, and next steps should be easy to find, easy to understand, and consistent across channels.

Channel flexibility is equally important. Customers should be able to engage through mobile, web, messaging, or voice – without losing continuity or having to restart the conversation.

How Does Better Customer Engagement Improve Retention?

Customer engagement during disruption does not just shape the immediate claims experience – it influences long-term relationships.

When communication is clear, guidance is actionable, and information is easy to access, customers feel more confident navigating difficult situations. That confidence builds trust.

In contrast, confusion, delays, and disconnected experiences can create lasting dissatisfaction, even if the claim itself is ultimately resolved.

In an environment where customers may experience multiple disaster events over time, consistency in engagement becomes a key differentiator.

Trust is not built in a single interaction. It is built through repeated, reliable experiences.

What Should Insurers Do Next?

An increasingly active and complex catastrophe landscape is placing new demands on insurers–not only in how they assess and manage risk, but in how they engage with customers across regions and event types.

The organizations that respond most effectively will be those that treat customer engagement as a core capability, not just an operational function.

Because when a disaster occurs, customers are not just looking for coverage. They are looking for clear answers and someone to help them figure out what to do next–and what matters is whether the claims experience works the way customers need it to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is customer education important before a natural disaster or insurance claim?
Customer education helps policyholders better understand their coverage, deductibles, exclusions, and claims process before a loss occurs. When customers understand their policies in advance, they can make faster and more informed decisions during a disaster.

Q: How can proactive communication improve catastrophe preparedness?
Proactive communication helps insurers provide guidance before a disaster occurs, including information on preparing property, documenting assets, understanding coverage, and knowing how to file a claim. Early communication can reduce confusion and improve customer readiness.

Q: Where do insurance customer experience breakdowns typically happen?
Customer experience breakdowns often occur when policyholders struggle to find important information such as coverage details, policy documents, or claim status updates. Disconnected systems and inconsistent communication can create unnecessary friction during stressful situations.

Q: Why is access to policy information important during a disaster?
Customers often need immediate access to policy details and claims information during a catastrophe event. Making information easy to find and consistent across channels can help customers take action more quickly and confidently.

Q: How does better customer engagement improve insurance customer retention?
Clear communication, accessible information, and consistent experiences help build customer trust over time. Strong engagement before, during, and after a claim can strengthen long-term relationships and improve customer retention.

Comparing Smart Communications and OpenText: What Matters Beyond Technology

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Scott Draeger

By Scott Draeger, SVP of Product Marketing and Vertical Solutions at Smart Communications

Choosing the right customer communications management (CCM) platform requires evaluating more than product features. The best CCM vendors combine strong technology with industry expertise, proactive customer success, transparent product roadmaps, and long-term strategic partnerships. Organizations replacing legacy CCM platforms (like OpenText) often prioritize these factors alongside technical capabilities.

Smart Communications has earned recognition for its best-in-class technology, technology that’s backed up by customer references, leader placement in analyst reports on AI, and innovation awards. But, selecting a CCM platform involves more than evaluating features and architecture alone.

The real differentiators come down to whether your vendor understands your industry, listens to your unique challenges, and invests in your long-term success. Technology provides the foundation, but your vendor partnership determines whether you build something that lasts.

As we grow, many of our newer clients have decommissioned legacy technology from OpenText in favor of SmartCOMM™ and SmartIQ™. If your goal is to choose a strategic partner that can elevate your customer experience, not just supply technology, start with these three questions:

1. Does Your CCM Vendor Understand Your Industry?

Many CCM vendors treat all customers the same, running the same implementation playbook, same support approach, and same compliance advice regardless of industry context. They react to your regulatory questions rather than anticipating them and strategizing with you to determine the best way to navigate change.

Given increasingly complex compliance considerations, organizations operating in regulated industries like insurance, healthcare, financial services, and government, must look beyond platform functionality and evaluate whether vendors bring meaningful industry expertise to the relationship. Industry context can influence everything from regulatory preparedness to implementation approaches and communication strategies.

Smart Communications supports customers through dedicated Vertical Specialists who maintain active engagement across their respective industries and track regulatory developments that will impact your business months or years before implementation deadlines arrive:

When KYC and AML regulations changed, our financial services specialists were already helping customers plan communication strategies for ensuring data provenance and delivering customer experience wins during onboarding.
When CMS interoperability rules changed healthcare documentation requirements, our healthcare specialists already mapped the implications to customer workflows.

With Smart Communications, your concerns are heard and understood by people who understand your organization’s compliance context, competitive pressures, and customer expectations because they work exclusively in your industry.

2. Does Your Vendor Provide Strategic Customer Success Models?

Organizations increasingly expect customer success models that extend beyond reactive support, but many vendors lack the professional services expertise to provide detailed sector-specific guidance. In contrast, Smart Communications assigns Customer Success Managers who work proactively with customers to identify opportunities for optimization, share relevant resources, and support long-term value realization.

When additional expertise is needed, your CSM can engage with our Vertical Specialists to support the industry-specific challenges and evolving business requirements. Your CSM also guides you to new content and information relevant to your specific situation: case studies from similar organizations, regulatory updates affecting your communications, new capabilities that address challenges you’ve mentioned. This active partnership model means you’re not just getting support; you’re getting strategic guidance from people who know your industry and are aligned to your outcomes.

3. Is Your Vendor Transparent About Its Product Roadmap?

A vendor that doesn’t understand your shifting needs and share its roadmap leaves you unprepared for the future. With account manager churn destroying institutional knowledge at many vendors, misalignment with customers becomes inevitable as technology, regulations, and industry trends shift.

Smart Communications supports customers through ongoing engagement models intended to strengthen alignment and future planning.

Visibility into future platform direction helps your organization make more informed technology decisions. We provide customers with insights into roadmap priorities and opportunities to provide feedback that can help shape future investments.

Relationship continuity plays an important role in long-term success. Our customers benefit from consistent points of contact who understand their business goals, operational requirements, and evolving priorities over time.

We also invest in customer communities and peer collaboration through annual events like INNOVATE, where customers across the globe can exchange implementation approaches, optimization strategies, and industry perspectives.

How Smart Communications Compares to OpenText

Evaluation Area	Questions Organizations Ask	Smart Communications’ Approach
Migration experience	How much effort may be required to move from existing environments and modernize communications?	Smart Communications supports organizations moving from legacy environments while helping simplify and modernize communication ecosystems.
Partnership approach	Does the relationship extend beyond transactional exchanges like issue resolution and implementation support?	Customers work with Customer Success Managers and broader teams focused on long-term adoption and value realization.
Industry specialization	Does the vendor bring industry-specific knowledge and regulatory understanding?	Dedicated Vertical Specialists support regulated industries including insurance, healthcare, financial services, and government.
Customer engagement	How does the vendor create opportunities for ongoing collaboration and knowledge sharing?	Smart Communications provides customer forums and events designed to encourage collaboration, learning, and feedback.
Roadmap visibility	Can customers understand future platform direction and provide input?	Customers receive visibility into roadmap priorities and opportunities to provide feedback on future investments.

Independent Recognition of Smart Communications

Smart Communications is regularly evaluated by independent analyst firms across customer communications management, workflow automation, and digital archiving capabilities.

These recognitions provide third-party validation of platform capabilities and ongoing investment in innovation:

Leader in Vendor Hosted SaaS CCM: Achieved platform strength score of 97, the highest awarded to any vendor on any Aspire Leaderboard grid

Leadership in Digital Archiving: Debuted as an “Emerging Innovator” in the Leader Category

Leadership in Workflow and Content Automation: Validated for employee communication and engagement solutions with a stronger placement for both Strategy and Performance

Entry into Customer Engagement Platform markets: Recognized for evolving beyond traditional CCM into broader customer experience orchestration where OpenText’s CCM technology is not featured, like Customer Engagement Platforms and Landscape for Customer Engagement Platforms Healthcare.

Multiple new appearances: Earned consideration in new markets as our integrated portfolio drives value as a combined offering instead of a disparate set of acquired businesses.

These recognitions reflect how the platform is evaluated across multiple categories relevant to regulated customer communications. They also highlight a broader market shift toward cloud-native, AI-enabled customer engagement platforms that extend beyond traditional CCM capabilities.

What Separates Success from Expensive Disappointment

Technology creates the foundation for customer communications transformation, but many organizations also evaluate the expertise, guidance, and partnership models that help maximize value over time.

Smart Communications combines technology investment with industry knowledge and ongoing customer engagement to support organizations as they evolve their communications strategies over time.

Ready to Meet the Team?

To learn more about us and how we can develop a strong partnership, reach out today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I look for in a customer communications management vendor?

CCM applications often last for years, so you need a vendor that has a long track record of delivering technology ahead of trends, innovating to the regulations impacting your organization, and helping clients maximize the value of the technology they provide.

Q: Is technology the only factor when choosing a CCM platform?

Definitely not. If the technology isn’t supported by a team that knows about all the changes impacting your industry, applications, and customers; you won’t be able to communicate at the scale and scope you want to serve your clients. Look for an organization with excellent account managers, strong support, post-sale success teams, and vertical experts who interface regularly with the development teams. Seek vendors with awards from customers in similar industries with similar applications, public case studies, and video testimonials.

Q: Why do organizations replace legacy CCM platforms?

CCM platforms are often in place for 10 years or longer. Organizations replace legacy technologies for a variety of reasons, including:

Consolidating single-channel solutions to meet omnichannel expectations
End of support announcements with expensive migrations
Declining investment in legacy product lines
Lack of industry-specific developments or expertise
Simple upgrades require rewriting contracts or purchasing bundles of unrelated capabilities
Surprise invoices for routine events like relocations, mergers, or reorganizations

Q: Why is product roadmap transparency important?

Product Roadmap transparency is critical for planning for the future. A vendor with a customer-facing roadmap, active Customer Advisory Board, and vertical experts who understand the industry is in position for long–term vendor customer alignment. Vendors must understand customers to ensure successful adaptations to whatever the future brings for technology, regulations, and customer preferences.

Is Your Customer Engagement Strategy Ready for an Era of Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters?

Posted on June 24, 2026 by Eileen Potter

By Eileen Potter, VP of Insurance Marketing at Smart Communications

Across the globe, increasingly volatile and unpredictable natural disasters are no longer isolated events. From hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in Asia to wildfires in North America and Australia, flooding across Europe, and severe convective storms in the Midwest, the frequency, scale, and geographic spread of catastrophic events are intensifying.

For insurers, this shift doesn’t just translate to higher claims volume. It creates sustained pressure on the entire customer experience, often across multiple regions and lines of business at once.

When disaster strikes – whether it’s a hurricane landfall, a wildfire evacuation, a flash flood, or an earthquake – the relationship between an insurer and its policyholders is tested in real time. Customers aren’t just evaluating their coverage. They’re evaluating how well they’re supported when they need help the most.

Today, that evaluation is more than just what insurers communicate. It’s how, when, and across which channels those interactions occur. The organizations that succeed in these high-pressure moments are not just responding faster. They’re engaging differently.

Why Are Natural Disasters Creating New Customer Engagement Challenges for Insurers?

Natural disasters create immediate and often simultaneous spikes in demand. Call centers become overloaded. Claims volumes surge. Policyholders – many dealing with damage, displacement, or urgent decisions – need answers quickly.

Policyholders need answers to questions such as:

How do I file a claim?
What does my policy cover?
What documentation do I need?
When will my claim be reviewed? What happens next?

At the same time, insurers experience:

Increased claims volumes
Higher call center demand
Greater pressure on adjusters and support teams
Large-scale outbound communication requirements
Operational strain across multiple regions

For global insurers, these challenges frequently occur simultaneously. An organization may be responding to tornadoes in North America while managing wildfire claims in Australia or earthquake-related losses in Europe. But regardless of the type, they all share a common outcome: a rapid escalation in customer need.

Customers do not have time or patience to interpret policy language, search for documents, or navigate fragmented systems. What they need is clear, direct guidance that helps them understand what is happening and what to do next.

Yet in many organizations, communication still depends on disconnected systems and manual (or only partially automated) processes. Emails go unread. Physical mail becomes irrelevant. Updates are spread across portals, call centers, and messaging platforms with little coordination, resulting in delay and confusion.

To meet the demands of a more complex catastrophe landscape, insurers must move beyond isolated communications toward a more adaptive and connected engagement strategy.

Why Clear Communications Aren’t Enough

Clarity remains essential, but it is no longer sufficient on its own. The greater challenge is delivery.

Policyholders don’t all receive or engage with information in the same way, especially during disruption. Some customers may not have access to traditional communication channels and rely entirely on their mobile devices, while others respond best to messaging platforms or real-time updates

These differences are even more pronounced across global markets where infrastructure, digital maturity, and communication preferences vary widely.

Modern engagement requires more than simply sending a message. It requires ensuring that the message reaches the customer through the right channel at the right time.

It also requires continuity.

Too often, communication channels operate independently, creating fragmented experiences. A policyholder may receive one update via email, another through a self-service portal, and a third via a call center – with no clear connection between them.

A more effective approach treats engagement as an integrated experience. Information follows the customer, not the channel. Interactions are connected, consistent, and easy to navigate, regardless of how or where they occur.

Dive into the 2026 Customer Experience in Insurance Benchmark Report to learn more about how policyholders want to interact with your brand and what their expectations are.

How Can Insurers Handle Claims Surges Without Overwhelming Teams?

While customer expectations increase, internal teams are under growing pressure.

During catastrophic events, brokers, adjusters, and support staff are stretched thin. Without the right systems and workflows, responding quickly and consistently becomes difficult.

Preparation is critical, but so is integration.

Insurers that invest in connected technology environments are better equipped to scale. When data, workflows, and communications are aligned, teams can respond more efficiently without increasing manual effort.

This is particularly important for multinational insurers operating across different regions, regulatory environments, and business units. A fragmented approach becomes exponentially harder to manage at scale.

Standardized communication templates, real-time visibility into customer data, and coordinated workflows reduce the need for rework and duplication. Instead of searching for information or recreating responses, teams can focus on resolving issues and supporting customers.

Automation plays an important role – not by replacing human interaction, but by streamlining repetitive tasks. When routine processes are handled efficiently, teams have more capacity for the conversations that require empathy, judgment, and reassurance.

And in moments of disruption, that’s what people remember.

The Real Takeaway for Insurers

An increasingly active and complex catastrophe environment does more than increase risk exposure – it makes it more challenging to meet customer expectations.

Policyholders expect fast answers, clear guidance, and easy access to information, regardless of where they are or what type of disaster they are experiencing.

Meeting those expectations requires more than improving individual touchpoints. It requires rethinking customer engagement as a connected, end-to-end experience.

In Part 2, we‘ll explore what insurers can do before a disaster occurs to reduce friction during a loss – focusing on proactive communication, helping customers better understand their coverage, and making sure they can easily find the information they need when they’re dealing with a claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are natural disasters creating new challenges for insurance companies?

Natural disasters are increasing in frequency, severity, and geographic reach, leading to higher claims volumes and spikes in customer inquiries. Insurers must manage increased operational pressure while continuing to provide timely support and communication.

Q: How do natural disasters affect the insurance customer experience?

Natural disasters can create delays, confusion, and communication bottlenecks if insurers are not prepared. Customers often need immediate guidance on claims, coverage, and next steps during stressful situations.

Q: How can insurers manage large increases in claims volume?

Insurers can manage claims surges by using connected systems, standardized workflows, and automation to reduce manual work. These approaches help teams respond more efficiently while maintaining consistent customer support.

Q: What is an omnichannel customer engagement strategy in insurance?

An omnichannel customer engagement strategy connects interactions across channels such as email, mobile messaging, portals, and support centers to create a consistent experience. This helps customers receive accurate information and support regardless of how they engage.

Q: Why is proactive communication important for insurers?

Proactive communication helps customers understand their coverage, next steps, and available resources before and during disruptive events. Early communication can reduce confusion, improve response times, and strengthen customer trust.

2026 Benchmark Findings: How Government Agencies Can Build Citizen Trust Through Better Digital Experiences

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Ken MacDonald

By Ken Macdonald, Public Sector Lead ANZ at Smart Communications

According to Smart Communications’ 2026 Citizen Experience Benchmark Report, communication quality plays a direct role in how citizens perceive responsiveness, transparency, and trustworthiness in public services.

This blog explores the communication factors that most influence citizen trust and what government agencies can do to improve digital experiences.

Why Do Government Communications Matter to Citizen Trust?

For most citizens, communications represent the most visible part of their interaction with government services.

Whether applying for benefits, renewing licenses, paying taxes, or seeking support, citizens rely on updates and information to understand what is happening and what actions they need to take next.

The Benchmark Report found that 87% of citizens say communications are important to their overall experience with government agencies.

This highlights a critical reality: trust is built through everyday interactions, not just major service outcomes. Every message, update, or request shapes perceptions of how effectively an agency operates and how much it values the people it serves.

When citizens receive clear and timely communications, they feel informed and supported. When information is missing or difficult to access, confidence can quickly erode.

What Communication Factors Build Citizen Trust?

Citizen trust is influenced by more than the services government agencies provide. It is also shaped by how those services are communicated.

The Benchmark Report identified several communication factors that have a direct impact on trust:

94% say the accuracy of communications affects trust
93% cite data security measure
92% cite ease of contacting government agencies
91% cite response time
86% cite consistency across communication channels
83% cite proactive communications and updates

These findings demonstrate that trust is closely linked to operational communication quality. Citizens expect information to be accurate, secure, and delivered in a way that feels coordinated and responsive.

Delays, conflicting messages, unclear instructions, or difficulty reaching support can quickly undermine confidence, even when the underlying service itself is functioning as intended.

Why Does Omnichannel Consistency Matter?

Today’s citizens interact with government agencies across multiple channels. They may begin a process online, follow up by phone, and receive updates through email or text messages.

Regardless of channel, when communicating with agencies, they just want the exchange to be as quick, easy and seamless as possible.

The Benchmark Report found that 72% of citizens say they trust agencies more when communications are consistent across channels. Yet only 53% say agencies always or almost always communicate through their preferred channels.

This gap highlights a common challenge for many government organizations.

When citizens receive different information depending on the channel they use, or when they need to repeat information as they move between channels, trust declines and effort increases.

By contrast, consistent omnichannel experiences create confidence. Citizens feel reassured when communications are connected, coordinated, and accessible through the channels that work best for them.

How Do Complex Processes Affect Citizen Confidence?

Complexity is one of the fastest ways to create frustration in government interactions.

Citizens increasingly expect digital experiences that are intuitive, guided, and easy to complete. When processes become confusing or repetitive, trust can suffer.

The Benchmark Report revealed that:

43% of citizens sometimes or always give up resolving issues because the process takes too long or is too confusing.
46% say government forms are too long or repetitive.
53% sometimes or always re-enter the same information across multiple forms.

These findings point to a significant opportunity for improvement.

When citizens encounter unnecessary friction, they may question the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency itself. Simplifying forms, reducing repetitive data entry, and providing guided digital experiences can improve completion rates while strengthening confidence in government services.

Reducing effort is not simply a customer experience initiative. It is a trust-building strategy.

How Important Is Transparency Around AI?

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important part of government service delivery. From virtual assistants and automated workflows to personalized communications, AI has the potential to improve efficiency and responsiveness.

Citizens recognize these benefits.

According to the Benchmark Report, 69% believe AI and generative AI will improve customer experience over the next five years.

However, enthusiasm for AI comes with expectations around transparency and governance.

The report also found that:

84% say it is important that organizations disclose when AI is being used in interactions.
43% agree government entities use AI responsibly in ways that benefit them.

These findings suggest that trust in AI is not determined solely by the technology itself. It is shaped by how openly and responsibly that technology is implemented.

As government agencies expand the use of AI-enabled experiences, clear communication about when and how AI is being used will play an increasingly important role in maintaining citizen confidence.

What Can Government Agencies Do to Improve Citizen Trust?

Deliver Consistent Omnichannel Communications

Citizens increasingly move between phone calls, email, SMS, and other interactions. Ensuring information remains accurate and consistent across every touchpoint reduces effort and strengthens trust.

Reduce Effort in Digital Journeys and Forms

Citizens expect government services to be as simple and intuitive as other digital experiences they use every day. Streamlining forms, eliminating unnecessary steps, and reducing repetitive data entry can improve completion rates and create a more positive experience.

Improve Proactive Updates and Status Visibility

Uncertainty is one of the biggest drivers of frustration. Providing timely updates, progress notifications, and clear next steps helps citizens feel informed and reassured throughout the service journey.

Simplify Complex Citizen Processes

Many government processes involve multiple departments, approvals, and requirements that can be difficult for citizens to navigate. Breaking complex workflows into clear, guided experiences makes it easier for people to complete tasks successfully and builds confidence in public services.

Prioritise Transparency Around AI and Data Use

As governments adopt AI-powered tools and automated interactions, citizens want greater visibility into how those technologies are being used. Clearly communicating when AI is involved and how personal data is protected can help strengthen confidence and support responsible innovation.

Design Communications Around Citizen Outcomes, Not Internal Systems

Citizens care about achieving outcomes, not understanding agency structures or internal processes. Communications should focus on what citizens need to do, what happens next, and how they can successfully complete their objective, regardless of which department is involved.

Conclusion

Citizen trust is increasingly shaped by the quality of everyday interactions with government agencies. While effective service delivery remains important, communication quality, digital experience, and ease of engagement play a critical role in how citizens perceive responsiveness, transparency, and accountability.

The findings from the Benchmark Report show that citizens value experiences that are accurate, responsive, secure, and consistent across channels. They also expect government organizations to reduce complexity, provide proactive updates, and be transparent about how technologies such as AI are used.

As citizen expectations continue to evolve, government agencies have a significant opportunity to strengthen trust by reducing friction, simplifying experiences, and delivering more connected communications throughout the citizen journey. By focusing on clear, citizen-centric engagement, agencies can build stronger relationships and foster greater confidence in public services.

Explore more findings from Smart Communications’ 2026 Citizen Experience Benchmark Report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is citizen trust important for government agencies?
A: Citizen trust influences how people engage with government services, follow guidance, and participate in public programs. Higher levels of trust can improve service adoption, satisfaction, and overall confidence in public institutions.

Q: What role do everyday communications play in building citizen trust?
A: Everyday communications are a core driver of citizen trust because they shape perceptions of responsiveness and clarity. In Smart Communications’ 2026 Government Benchmark Report, 87% of citizens in APAC said communications are important to their experience, showing that trust is built through routine interactions, not just service outcomes.

Q: Which factors have the greatest impact on trust in government services?
A: Trust in government services is primarily driven by execution quality. The Benchmark Report shows 94% of citizens cite accuracy as a key factor, 93% cite data security, 92% cite ease of contact, and 91% cite response time. These results indicate that trust is shaped by operational performance across everyday communications.

Q: Why do citizens abandon digital government journeys?
A: Citizens abandon digital government journeys due to complexity, lack of clarity, and time burden. The Benchmark Report found that 43% of citizens sometimes or always give up resolving issues because processes are too long or confusing, showing that friction directly reduces completion and engagement in digital services.

Q: How does channel inconsistency impact citizen trust and effort?
A: Channel inconsistency reduces trust and increases effort for citizens navigating government services. While 72% of citizens trust agencies more when omnichannel experiences are consistent, only 53% say agencies always or almost always use their preferred channel, highlighting a clear gap between expectation and delivery.

Q: What do citizens expect from AI in government communications?
A: Citizens expect AI to improve speed, responsiveness, and overall experience in government communications, but they also expect transparency. The Benchmark Report reveals that 69% believe AI will improve customer experience, while 84% say organisations should disclose when AI is used in interactions, reinforcing the importance of trust and clarity.

Preparing for Payday Super: How Super Funds Can Get Ahead with The Right Tech

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Vicki Bednjacic

By Vicki Bednjacic, Sales Director at Smart Communications

Australia’s superannuation system is one of the country’s long-term nation-building projects, with compulsory contributions designed to help members retire with dignity. In recent years, the government has continued tightening the settings around super to strengthen retirement outcomes, improve transparency, and reduce the stubborn problem of unpaid or late payments. The next major step in that journey is Payday Super: a requirement for super contributions to be paid at the same time as wages.

On paper, it sounds simple. In practice, it represents a significant operational shift for super funds, employers, and the communication ecosystems that connect them to members. Contribution cycles will accelerate, communications expectations will rise, and the volume of member and employer touchpoints will multiply.

To keep pace without overwhelming service teams or confusing members, super funds will need modern, automated communication capabilities. Smart Communications’ customer engagement platform can help funds adapt to Payday Super smoothly, turning the change into a service and experience advantage rather than a mad scramble.

What Does Payday Super Mean to Super Funds?

Increased Frequency of Transactions and Member Touchpoints

More frequent contribution postings mean more confirmations, more notifications, and more potential follow-ups when something doesn’t match expectations. Small issues that once appeared monthly or quarterly could surface weekly or fortnightly, creating a steady flow of inbound questions unless communications are proactive and clear.

Greater Member Expectations

As Payday Super normalises, members may come to expect real-time updates, mobile alerts, and clearer contribution tracking. This creates an “always-on” communication environment where members want fast answers and minimal friction.

Operational and Compliance Considerations

Timely processing becomes essential to maintaining regulatory compliance. Funds will also need communications that are accurate, consistent, and auditable, aligning with governance expectations from regulators. When communication volume rises, the risk of inconsistency rises, too, unless there’s strong centralised control.

Employer Relationship Management

Employers may need education and support as they adjust payroll processes, update systems, and handle exceptions. During transition periods, super funds should anticipate increased inbound queries from employers and intermediaries and prepare scalable support journeys to keep pace.

The Communication Challenges of Payday Super

The communications side of Payday Super is where complexity quietly grows. Higher communications volume increases the risk of member confusion, especially when contributions vary due to timing, overtime, leave, or payroll corrections. Legacy communication tools may struggle to deliver on-demand, automated, omnichannel messaging at scale. At the same time, members will expect personalised, accessible digital engagement, not one-size-fits-all letters that arrive after the moment has passed.

In short: more communications, more channels, more immediacy, more scrutiny.

How Smart Communications Helps Super Funds Get Ready

Automate high-volume, high-frequency communications. Our suite of solutions can streamline contribution notifications and employer updates using automatic triggers for confirmations, delays, or exceptions. Instead of staff manually generating messages, communications are triggered based on events.

Ensure compliance and accuracy. Centralised governance of messaging templates, version control, and audit trails helps align communications with regulatory expectations. Rules-based automation reduces the human error that creeps in when teams are under pressure.

Enhance member experience with personalised, omnichannel delivery. Create a communication once and deliver it through email, SMS, mobile app, portals, or print. Messaging can adapt to each member’s preferences, so the experience is consistent and feels helpful rather than noisy.

Integrate seamlessly with fund administration and digital ecosystems. API-driven workflows can trigger communications from payroll or contribution events, enabling real-time data exchange and faster, more accurate updates.

Use Cases: Payday Super in Action

Practical, high-impact use cases include:

Contribution received notifications that reassure members promptly.
Delay and error-resolution messages that explain what happened and what comes next.
Proactive employer education campaigns ahead of implementation.
Personalised dashboards or contribution summaries for ongoing clarity.
Member alerts when contributions deviate from expected patterns, paired with simple explanations and next steps.

Handled well, Payday Super can deliver a major upside: improved operational efficiency, reduced compliance risk, stronger employer relationships, higher member engagement and trust, and a scalable foundation for future regulatory changes. The funds that thrive will be the ones that treat communication as foundational to the operating model, not as an afterthought.

Conclusion

Payday Super is a major regulatory shift, but it’s also an opportunity to modernise how funds engage with members and employers. With Smart Communications’ csutomer engagement platform, super funds can turn a compliance requirement into a member experience advantage, building confidence in every contribution, every pay cycle, every time.

To learn whether your organisation is prepared for Payday Super, download a free copy of our readiness checklist today.

What the 2026 Insurance Benchmark Report Revealed About Customer Experience

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Eileen Potter

By Eileen Potter, VP of Insurance Marketing at Smart Communications

If you’ve spent time talking to insurance leaders recently, you’ve likely heard a familiar mix of priorities: digital transformation, AI, personalization, efficiency. None of that is new. What‘s new is the widening gap between these priorities and what customers report they’re actually experiencing.

The 2026 Benchmark Report on Customer Experience in Insurance puts a spotlight on that gap informed by thousands of consumer responses across regions. And, the takeaway is pretty clear: insurers are making progress, but not fast enough – or not always in the ways that matter most to customers.

Customers Aren’t Against AI, But They’re Not Convinced, Either

There’s a lot of excitement about AI in insurance, especially for improving efficiency across claims and policy servicing. But customers are approaching it with caution, necessarily so.

For example, 85% of consumers say it’s important to know when AI is being used in their interactions. That’s not a minor preference – that’s a baseline expectation. Transparency matters.

At the same time, confidence in AI dipped compared to last year. Less than half of customers feel confident about AI handling their data securely. Further, concerns about privacy, errors, and a lack of human oversight remain high.

Here’s the nuance: people aren’t rejecting AI. They’re saying, “Use it when it helps me, and be upfront about it.”

They’re also clear on what “help” looks like:

Faster responses
Better personalization
More accurate information

If AI delivers those things, customers are open to it. If not, it just feels like another layer of complexity.

Data Collection Remains Harder Than It Should Be

This is one of the most surprising parts of the report. With all the investment in digital tools, you might expect data collection processes – forms, applications, claims intake – to be a solved problem.

They’re not.

Only about a third of customers say insurance forms are easy to complete. That is especially concerning, considering 61% say they’re likely to abandon an interaction if the process is too difficult.

These are moments that directly impact new business, retention, and satisfaction.

Here’s what frustrates people most:

Having to enter the same information multiple times
Forms that take too long
Processes that can’t be saved and restarted
Requests for irrelevant or redundant information

But when companies get this right, the payoff is huge. Customers are far more likely to stay loyal, recommend the company, and even buy additional products.

So, this goes beyond an operational issue and becomes a growth lever when resolved.

Digital Is an Expectation, Not an Option

Another theme that comes through clearly: customers don’t see digital experiences as a bonus. They see them as standard.

About 73% say it’s important to have digital options to submit information instead of only manual processes like printing and mailing forms.

And 68% prefer digital self-service over calling for common tasks.

That preference skews even higher among younger generations, but it’s not limited to them. Across age groups and regions, the direction is the same.

It goes beyond just “being digital.” Customers want:

The ability to save progress and come back later
Real-time assistance
Pre-filled information when possibl
Easy access to submitted forms and past documents

In other words, they want experiences that feel as seamless as what they get from retail, banking, or travel platforms.

Customers Notice Communications Are Slipping

One of the more concerning findings is that satisfaction with the communications they receive from their insurers dropped significantly year-over-year.

Only 50% of customers now rate insurer communications as very good or excellent, down from 60% the previous year.

That’s not a small dip – that’s a signal.

Why does this matter? Because communication is where the relationship actually shows up. It’s how customers experience your brand during policy updates, billing questions, and especially during claims.

And those moments aren’t neutral. They’re often stressful or emotional.

The report highlights a few consistent issues, like:

Messages aren’t always clear
Information can feel inconsistent across channels
Customers aren’t always getting communications in their preferred format

And when communication falls short, customers take action. About 62% say they’re likely to switch providers if communications don’t meet expectations.

That’s a direct link from CX quality to churn.

Friction is Everywhere – And It’s Costing You

If there’s one theme that ties the entire report together, it’s friction.

Customers are running into it across the journey:

Repeating information when switching channels
Starting over when moving from mobile to desktop
Struggling to find documents or check status updates

In fact, 88% of customers say it’s important that their information carries over seamlessly between channels.

And yet, satisfaction with omnichannel experiences is just above 50%.

So, there’s a clear gap between expectation and reality.

This is where a lot of technology modernization efforts stall. Systems don’t talk to each other, processes aren’t fully connected, and the experience feels fragmented – even if each individual piece works fine on its own.

Here’s What Insurers Can Do

The report doesn’t just highlight challenges, it points toward practical next steps. A few that stand out:

1. Be Intentional About AI Use
Don’t deploy it just because you can. Focus on use cases that clearly improve customer experience and explain how it’s being used.

2. Fix The Basics of Data Collection
Streamline forms, reduce repetition, and make it easy to start, stop, and resume. This is one of the fastest ways to improve both CX and conversion.

3. Treat Communications as a Strategic Priority
Clarity, timing, and relevance matter more than ever. And meeting customers on their preferred channel is table stakes.

4. Reduce Friction Across the Journey
This means connecting systems, eliminating silos, and designing for continuity across channels—not just optimizing individual touchpoints.

5. Build Trust Through Transparency and Reliability
Whether it’s AI, data usage, or simple process visibility, customers want to feel informed and in control.

The Bottom Line

There’s no shortage of innovation happening in insurance right now. But the report makes one thing clear: customers don’t evaluate the sophistication of innovation – they care about its impact, specifically how simple, helpful, and trustworthy it feels in their experience.

The insurers that close that gap between what’s being built and what customers actually experience are the ones that will stand out.

To hear more about these insights and how you can apply them at your organization, join me for a webinar on June 23rd at 11 AM ET. You can register for the webinar here.

2026 Healthcare Benchmark Report Reveals Customer Experience Progress, Preferences, and Pitfalls

Posted on June 8, 2026 by SmartComm

The 2026 Healthcare Benchmark Report is almost ready, and it reveals in detail what over 4,000 consumers around the globe think and feel about their experiences with healthcare payers and providers.

The biggest benefit of fielding a survey over multiple years is the longitudinal look it yields. That long-term perspective shows that, when it comes to customer experience and engagement, consumers concede payers and providers have made some progress.

They also shared how they prefer to be engaged with and where healthcare organizations (HCOs) could provide better digital customer experiences. Let’s dive in.

Customer Experience Is a Leading Indicator of Loyalty and Advocacy

Firms like Forrester Research and Gartner have long linked customer experience to business outcomes. The Benchmark Report reinforces this relationship, as evidenced by a few data points below:

86% say customer communications are important to their overall experience
80% are likely to recommend an HCO if communications exceed expectations
52% are likely to switch HCOs if communications do not meet expectations

Here, communications include outbound communications (e.g., correspondence), inbound communications (e.g., forms), and two-way communications (e.g., SMS exchanges). And clearly, they’re important to consumers. So much so that when HCOs do a great job, customers are willing to recommend them to family and friends. Yet, poor communications (more on this in the full report, which will be available June 16) have been shown to drive customers away.

Healthcare is a Relationship Business, and Relationships Are Built on Trust

Healthcare is arguably the industry where trust matters most to relationships. Consumers are at their most vulnerable when they engage with providers and payers. HCOs know the most intimate details about their customers. Preserving trust means keeping customers for their lifetime. Breaking that trust comes with consequences.

The Benchmark Report provides a fascinating look into trust. Here are some salient stats:

65% of consumers say they always or sometimes trust their HCOs
61% say they trust HCOs more if they offer a consistent omnichannel experience
At 94%, accuracy of communications received was the top driver of trust

The survey revealed several other key trust drivers, some scoring nearly as high as accuracy. But we shouldn’t be surprised to see accuracy at number one. Think about what drives calls or complaints, and accuracy (sometimes called “clarity”) is often at the top.

Additional Insights Contained in the 2026 Healthcare Benchmark Report

Our research report covers a lot of ground, including:

The use of AI for customer engagement and communications
Channel preferences, including when communicating PII and PHI
Digital self-service preferences and requirements
How consumers feel about the forms HCOs use
Accessible digital experience awareness across generations

The report is broken down into several areas and presented in an interactive format that makes consuming and contextualizing the data a breeze. In each section, we call out key stats and provide our high-level analysis for your consideration.

Webinar Highlights Actionable Data in the Benchmark Report

Catch the webinar on June 25th, where we expand on the benchmark data, analyze findings, and put them in context. If you can’t make it to the live event, or if you’re reading this after that date, we’ve got you covered. You can use the same link to register to access the on-demand version.

How SmartCOMM & SmartPATH Work Together to Build an Insurance Center of Excellence

Posted on June 1, 2026October 7, 2026 by Eileen Potter

By Eileen Potter, VP of Insurance Marketing at Smart Communications

For leading insurers, operational excellence means more than creating efficiency. It’s also about precision, agility, and trust. As customer expectations evolve, insurers are recognizing that excellence starts with content orchestration: the ability to deliver personalized, compliant, and connected communications across every stage of the customer journey.

SmartCOMM™ and SmartPATH™ work in tandem to make that possible. Together, they help insurance organizations build a Center of Excellence (CoE) for customer communications — one that balances control with innovation and drives measurable business outcomes.

Why Orchestration Is the New Core of Customer Communications

For years, insurance communications have been fragmented, with different teams managing correspondence across claims, underwriting, policy servicing, and marketing. Each function optimized in isolation, creating inefficiencies and inconsistencies.

Orchestration in customer communications changes that dynamic. It connects content, data, and decision logic so that every message — whether a claims update or policy renewal — is consistent, contextually relevant, and compliant.

By orchestrating communication workflows, insurers gain:

- Unified governance: consistent messaging, brand, and compliance controls
- Operational agility: faster response to market, regulatory, or customer changes
- Scalable personalization: the right content, at the right time, in the right channel

This is the foundation of operational maturity — and the hallmark of a communications CoE.

SmartCOMM: Laying the Foundation for Operational Excellence

A Center of Excellence requires structure, and that begins with content. SmartCOMM helps insurers centralize, templatize, and link communication assets across lines of business.

By designing modular templates and reusable content blocks, you establish a transformation roadmap that reduces duplication and speeds up change management. Each update flows seamlessly through the enterprise, improving governance and compliance.

With structured, AI-ready content, teams can:

- Reduce operational overhead and approval cycles
- Standardize on best practices across regions or product lines
- Accelerate the move toward omnichannel, customer-first experiences

SmartCOMM is what enables you to manage complexity without losing control — a cornerstone of operational excellence. (Discover how you can unlock the full power of AI to design, refine, and optimize customer communications.)

SmartPATH: Powering Orchestration Across the Enterprise

Where SmartCOMM structures content, SmartPATH orchestrates how it’s delivered. It connects the dots between systems, channels, and customer context, ensuring every communication follows the right set of rules. (Learn how to orchestrate journeys across channels.)

This orchestration layer is where real transformation happens. SmartPATH uses data and business logic to automate the flow of communications across journeys such as:

- Policy issuance: Dynamically triggering the right communications after underwriting approval
- Claims management: Coordinating notifications between adjusters, policyholders, and third parties
- Renewals and retention: Personalizing outreach based on customer value, product type, or engagement history

Instead of managing communication touchpoints in silos, you’re orchestrating the entire lifecycle with transparency and control.

Building a Communications Center of Excellence

A true CoE doesn’t emerge from technology alone; it’s built on strategy and structure. Here’s a simplified roadmap to get started:

1. Assess readiness: Identify where content silos and manual workflows create friction.
2. Centralize assets: Use modular design and content linking to unify communications under shared governance.
3. Automate intelligently: Introduce orchestration rules that reflect customer journeys, not internal processes.
4. Measure and optimize: Track operational KPIs like cycle time, accuracy, and engagement across departments.
5. Scale through collaboration: Expand best practices enterprise-wide, leveraging shared tools and standardized processes.

By linking operational excellence goals with content orchestration strategies, insurers can achieve more than just efficiency — they create resilient, customer-centric organizations ready for AI-driven transformation. (Related reading: Understand the key customer conversation trends reshaping insurance.)

Final Takeaway

Operational excellence isn’t realized by merely optimizing one department at a time — it’s achieved by connecting them. By combining the structure of SmartCOMM with the orchestration power of SmartPATH, insurers can transform fragmented communication processes into a cohesive, intelligent ecosystem that scales with the business.

Request a Demo

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What does orchestration mean in customer communications?
Orchestration is the coordination of data, rules, and delivery across all customer communication touchpoints. It ensures each message is timely, relevant, and consistent with brand and compliance standards.

2) How does orchestration improve operational excellence?
By reducing manual work and enforcing consistent processes, orchestration eliminates inefficiencies and human error. It connects departments and technologies, enabling faster, data-driven decision-making.

3) Why is orchestration important for insurers?
Insurance involves complex, multistep interactions — from underwriting to claims. Orchestration simplifies this by connecting workflows, ensuring that customers receive seamless and compliant communications throughout their journey.

4) How do SmartCOMM and SmartPATH contribute to orchestration?
SmartCOMM structures and manages content centrally, while SmartPATH automates and routes communications based on business logic and data. Together, they form a unified framework for orchestrated, enterprise-grade customer communications.

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Why is Healthcare Member Onboarding So Difficult?

The Real Cost of Healthcare Onboarding Inefficiency

1. Revenue Leakage and Delays

2. Rising Administrative Costs

3. Call Center Overload

4. Data Errors and Rework

Why are the First 90 Days so Important for Member Engagement?

Why Can’t Core Payer Systems Deliver Modern Onboarding Experiences?

A New Approach: Connecting the Enrollment Experience

What Should Health Plans Looks for in an Enrollment and Onboarding Solution?

How Smart Communications Helps Payers Close the Gap

Extending (Not Replacing) Core Systems

What Modern Enrollment and Onboarding Deliver

From Cost Center to Competitive Advantage

Final Thought

Frequently Asked Questions

What the Data Says

Why Does Storytelling Matter More Than Ever?

What Does Smarter Storytelling Look Like, Practically?

Customer Service Isn’t Disappearing

Ready to explore the latest digital experience insights?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Customer Education So Important Before a Catastrophe Event?

How Can Proactive Communication Improve Catastrophe Preparedness?

Where Do Most Customer Experience Breakdowns Occur?

How Does Better Customer Engagement Improve Retention?

What Should Insurers Do Next?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Your CCM Vendor Understand Your Industry?

2. Does Your Vendor Provide Strategic Customer Success Models?

3. Is Your Vendor Transparent About Its Product Roadmap?

How Smart Communications Compares to OpenText

Independent Recognition of Smart Communications

What Separates Success from Expensive Disappointment

Ready to Meet the Team?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Are Natural Disasters Creating New Customer Engagement Challenges for Insurers?

Why Clear Communications Aren’t Enough

Dive into the 2026 Customer Experience in Insurance Benchmark Report to learn more about how policyholders want to interact with your brand and what their expectations are.

How Can Insurers Handle Claims Surges Without Overwhelming Teams?

The Real Takeaway for Insurers

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do Government Communications Matter to Citizen Trust?

What Communication Factors Build Citizen Trust?