Key Takeaways

  • Drips helped a Medicare payer engage high volumes of AEP prospects through conversational SMS instead of repeated outbound calls.
  • Prospective members could ask questions and schedule calls when ready, improving the experience while reducing agent burden.
  • The payer achieved an 80% conversion lift, 57% lower outreach costs, 26x ROI, and projected net profit above $1.6M.

Learn how a major healthcare payer used AI-powered Conversations as a Service to efficiently handle peak contact volumes during AEP.

Background

During the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), a major regional health insurer saw tens of thousands of seniors respond to webinar registrations, business reply cards, and downloadable content. To effectively engage this high volume of prospective members who were likely inundated with outreach, the payer needed to respond to inquiries in a thoughtful, unintrusive way.

Challenge

The payer relied on a high number of licensed agents performing outbound dials to connect with prospective members. Unanswered calls led to repeated call attempts, frustrating both consumers and agents. The payer knew they needed to find a more efficient way to manage the increased volume and engage consumers who have diverse communication preferences.

Solution

Drips helped the payer adjust their outreach strategy to stand out in this crowded market. The key was to replace some outbound dials with AI-powered SMS conversations. Conversational SMS with AI-driven responses made it easy for prospective members to engage, ask questions, and learn more — all without tying up valuable agent time. The experience was better for prospective members, too. Rather than needing to be available for a call from an agent at a specific time, these seniors could converse with Drips and then schedule a call when they felt ready to take the next step. Giving seniors more control over the process was a win-win move, as the payer also saw a significant increase in conversions and a reduction in costs.

Results

With Drips, the payer was able to provide a better experience which let consumers engage when and how they wanted. By reducing phone tag and increasing high-intent inbound calls, the payer achieved its goals of increasing conversions and reducing costs. After partnering with Drips, the payer saw an 80% lift in conversions, a 57% reduction in the cost of outreach, and a 26-times return on investment. With a projected net profit exceeding $1.6 million, the payer knew that Conversations as a Service was a game-changer for their performance.