By: Lindsey Digangi, Corporate Marketing Manager
As you may have read in the last edition of the Lumber Memo, we recently rolled out AskNicely, our net promoter score survey, which is meant to check in with you periodically to see how your PLM experience is going. While we talk to the industry and our insureds regularly, we feel that checking in directly has been an invaluable experience for PLM to learn about you.
Insurance is a personal experience. Each of you has a unique set of risks and concerns that PLM seeks to assist with. What matters to you might not be as important to your competitor. As a mutual insurance company that was founded to solve a unique problem for a set of local lumber dealers, our focus today remains the same. We continuously seek ways to stay ahead of the things that are important to you. That’s why it is so important that we hear directly from you.
With over four months of survey responses received to date, we have enough feedback to make a few observations. More than observe, we are making change. Some may come sooner, some may come later, and some may come over time, but we have committed to not just observing but acting upon the feedback you provide us.
- Your claims experience is a key driver of your overall experience.
This is no surprise to PLM, nor is it a surprise to any insurance carrier. When you purchase insurance, you receive a promise from your carrier to respond promptly and settle claims fairly when they occur. This is a promise you never want to test because no person wants to experience a claim. However, when that fortuitous event occurs, you are relying on the claims process to come through.
While the outcome of the claims process cannot be promised, the service you receive can be. We have heard a full range of comments regarding our claims process, with some experiences dating back decades. While claims likely do not occur often, the moment sticks and we understand that.
Our claims department has made many changes and improvements over the last couple of years. Under the new leadership of John Kennealy, and his appointed managers, we are making changes small and large to positively impact the claims process for when you need it. You have read about many of these changes in our Lumber Memo series, but in this edition, you will hear directly from Casualty Claims Manager, Steve Kern, who will discuss improvements in the fast track claims area.
- Billing can make or break your ease of doing business
We have long heard feedback about our billing process. Long gone are the days of coupons, which some of you may remember, but the billing process is still an area that is ripe for improvement. Your feedback has helped to push changes to the billing process up as a priority in our 2021 corporate plans. While the changes will not be immediate, stay tuned. We will be redesigning our invoices to be clearer and to better match your accounting needs.
In the meantime, don’t get frustrated! We have multiple billing options available, including electronic funds transfer (EFT) that will ease the payment process. If you have specific questions about your billing, customer service is our team of billing experts. They are ready to help you at custserv@plmins.com or 800-752-1895.
- Above all else, we continue to confirm that relationships matter most
While insurance itself may come in the form of a contract, your experience with insurance comes from those that you work with. We see daily responses that demonstrate the relationships you have built with the PLM team and we are encouraged by the results. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. We commit ourselves daily to serving and supporting you and you can expect that to evolve over time as the service and support you need changes. We want to know what you seek from your insurance and risk management experience. With the expertise of our staff, coupled with our long history serving solely your industry, we have many materials and resources available to you. We are with you every step of the way.
We will be checking in periodically to give you some insight into the survey feedback we are receiving and the actions that we are taking. I implore you to continue giving us feedback so can create the custom experience that you deserve.
Your experience is made up of the commitment of 165 PLM employees, whether you know them all or not. We are with you today and tomorrow, just as we have been with you since 1895.
