Entering the Chat
Many of AFM’s agents point to our live website chat option as being one of the top features that sets us apart from other carriers. For several years, it’s been as easy as clicking a button in our quoting software to reach someone in our Underwriting Department for assistance. As our independent agent network has grown, we’ve experienced an increase in total chat volume, as well as an uptick in non-underwriting related questions being fielded.
Although we think our Underwriting Team is pretty exceptional, they aren’t the best people to contact for payments and billing or claims questions. While they can easily answer some basic inquiries related to those departments, they don’t have access to the same software programs that those areas use, so the information they can provide may be limited in nature. In the past if a question came up that Underwriting couldn’t help with, this meant that either the Underwriting Team would need to track down the answer and act as a go-between, or that the agent would need to call the office or email a different employee to receive a response.
In an effort to increase efficiency in getting agents’ payments, billing, and claims questions answered, we have updated our website chat experience to assign each chat to a particular department. Now when an agent initiates the chat, they are asked to select whether their question pertains to either Underwriting or Payments – Billing – Claims. When an option is chosen, the appropriate team is notified to handle the chat.
As a rule of thumb, the Underwriting option should be selected for any questions concerning quoting, new business or renewal requirements, or endorsements. The Payments – Billing – Claims option should be chosen for questions pertaining to those items that involve existing business. If the wrong option happens to be selected initially, don’t worry; we can transfer you to the right place.
AFM understands the value in getting our agents the information they need in the manner that is most convenient to them. This latest improvement means that payments, billing and claims assistance is now right at your fingertips.
