To enhance the level of service we offer to our health care providers, BlueCross has partnered with a global business services company to onboard additional representatives trained to take calls from provider offices. This expansion will reduce wait times and make it easier for doctors and hospitals to work with us, which in turn will improve our members’ access to care.
Importantly, this change does not impact the jobs of any current employees, as our existing provider service agents will continue handling written correspondence and other needs. And our internal BlueCross teams will continue supporting all member calls.
Addressing service challenges
Over the past year, we’ve seen a growing backlog in provider service requests. Our teams have been working diligently to address this backlog while also dealing with higher-than-usual call volumes.
Despite our team’s hard work, the resulting stats and provider experiences do not reflect the high level of service we are committed to delivering.
To address this, our new partnership with a global business service firm will add external provider service agents. These contractors will support inbound calls, significantly enhancing our responsiveness and service quality.
Our decision to onboard supplemental support reflects the importance of addressing the critical backlog quickly in a cost-effective manner for roles where we are encountering a talent shortage.
We’ve seen provider partners adopt outsourced solutions for themselves, including using AI to make calls to us. This shift has increased our call volume and is another reason why bringing in outside support is necessary.
We’re committed to providing cost-effective solutions to support our business needs while maintaining the high level of service our provider partners expect.
If the pilot is successful, it will allow us to improve service levels, preserve existing roles within BlueCross and create new opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and career growth with roles on our member service teams, which will remain in-house.
A remote-first company
BlueCross is a remote-first company with 87% of employees based in Tennessee and others located across the U.S. to help serve customers in different time zones. Since adopting our remote-first posture, we’ve expanded the number of states where employees can live and work.
This has helped us find the right talent for hard-to-fill roles, but it’s also given flexibility for employees who needed to relocate to support their families and meet other needs. Ultimately, remote work continues to prove itself as a win-win for our employees and the people we serve.