Handling The AEP Rush

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.

Frustrating Phone Tag

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.

Putting Seniors In Control

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.

More Results, Lower 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 conversational outreach was a game-changer for its performance.