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By James Vertino, Chief Executive Officer

At EBMS, we strive for excellence in everything we do. That’s why we’re celebrating results from a recent member satisfaction survey that showed a 97% satisfaction score received from hundreds of  members who participated. More good news? This far exceeds the industry standard of 73% for member satisfaction scores.

Our customer services team works hard to exceed expectations. We know that when you take care of members, brokers and employers, engagement soars, HR directors are happy, employers are happy, and the benefit plan is underscored by satisfaction across the board.

I want to tell you about something we’ve been doing that pleases me. At EBMS, a special group of member services representatives has been focused on clients who are taking advantage of our partnerships with ELAP Services and Imagine Health for open-access plans. It is part of our effort to optimize service for members while utilizing the respective strengths of the EBMS, ELAP and Imagine Health teams.

More than 13 years ago, ELAP launched a reference-based pricing (RBP) solution that allows self-insured employers to take back control of their healthcare costs. Since then, our partner has helped more than 500 self-funded companies save millions on their healthcare — with most clients experiencing a 25-30% cost reduction. Results like these have made ELAP an RBP leader in the U.S. Its sister company, Imagine Health, offers increased access to affordable quality care through direct partnerships with proven high-quality health systems.

During a five-month period, the 10 member services representatives in our special group asked members who called in to take a simple, two-question survey to record their satisfaction with the call and offer an opportunity to provide feedback.

With a participation rate over 40%, the 97% satisfaction score is a source of pride for Stacey Crossley, EBMS Director of Member Services, and her team. Stacey is “super excited at the results and the response rate.”

Stacey says the survey and accompanying feedback from members provides a great opportunity for our representatives to grow and develop. I agree. They listen intently, analyze what our customers tell us, and work to better meet our members’ needs.

She also talks to her team about the importance of constantly helping members on their journey through the complicated world of healthcare. “We help guide them,” she says.

At EBMS, we record all calls and log each interaction, and our member services representatives receive a weekly result of survey scores, statistics and raw survey information. We believe in transparency in this process, so our supervisors put the scores and feedback to use as they coach member services representatives and develop skills across the team.

We’re continuing our efforts to streamline processes and provide greater visibility of plan details, so members can more fully understand their options and make more informed choices. It’s a more personalized experience, and the messaging is more consistent. This improved level of service helps to build employee loyalty and satisfaction.

Stacey and her entire EBMS team has a terrific passion for service. The 97% customer satisfaction rating gathered by our special group of member services representatives is a great success story. It provides a powerful learning experience that will make all our interactions with members, employers and brokers that much stronger.