Online services
Independer's
annual sprint
for the finish line
In the final weeks of the year, comparison website Independer always needs more hands on deck than usual. The entire company jumps in to provide each and every customer with the right advice about their health insurance. The end of 2021 was another peak – and busier than ever!
Warner Michel (30)
team leader at Independer since 2019. He previously worked as a non-life insurance advisor.
Once a year, from mid-November, people in the Netherlands have the opportunity to switch between health insurance companies. Most people wait until the very last minute to make that change. During the holiday season in particular, thousands of visitors get in touch every hour with queries about their health insurance. They contact Independer for advice on the website, but also by phone and through WhatsApp. “On the last day of the year, the website reaches its peak with over 14,000 comparisons per hour,” says team leader Warner Michel.
Kick
It takes plenty of manpower to deal with all these help requests. “The whole company joins in to ensure the necessary capacity. Even staff from the HR departments and the management board pitch in and work shifts. Everyone puts their shoulder to the wheel. This level of teamwork is a great source of pride for us. It’s always a very hectic time, but you get such a kick when you succeed in pulling it off yet again.”
Approximately sixty people are at the ready to respond to chat, phone and WhatsApp messages every day during this busy period. The staff mainly consist of experts in home, travel and other types of insurance. They reserve space in their schedules during the closing weeks of the year so that they can help out during the peak season.
“Even staff from the HR departments and the management board pitch in and work shifts.”
modern mindset
The number of phone consultations has decreased significantly in recent years. This is not surprising, given that the website is now able to provide customers with more and more targeted information. Michel explains, “People have no trouble finding the information they need online. Besides, this approach is best suited to the modern mindset. People prefer to make their own arrangements online if it’s a straightforward enough process.”
The number of phone consultations has decreased significantly in recent years. This is not surprising, given that the website is now able to provide customers with more and more targeted information. Michel explains, “People have no trouble finding the information they need online. Besides, this approach is best suited to the modern mindset. People prefer to make their own arrangements online if it’s a straightforward enough process.”
making life easier
Independer also tries to make life easier for its customers as they switch between insurers. “We take care of everything. Through us, customers sometimes end up receiving a small discount or additional accident insurance: many people have no idea that dental damage caused by an accident is often not covered by a basic insurance plan. At any rate, they never pay more than they would if they took out insurance directly with the insurer.”
All this extra help pays off. Independer receives great reviews, along the lines of ‘quick, clear, simple, organised’. “Our customers are very satisfied,” Michel says. “They are confident they have chosen the right plan for them, which means that we have done our job right.”
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