Using Electronic Forms for Annual Account Reviews

Annual account reviews – on every account – are one of the best ways to create a better customer experience, increase retention rates, and improve E&O protection for the agency. While it is a best practice – not every agency, unfortunately, makes this a standard practice.

Last year, I was consulting with an agency that had started an annual account review process for their personal lines clients. They created and printed standard account review forms for both homeowners and personal automobile. They were mailing these forms out to their customers and asking them to complete the information and return the form in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.

The number of surveys returned was not very large. I understand why. With today’s connected consumer, taking the time to write out my answers on a form and stuffing it back into an envelope to mail is just simply too much work.

There has to be a better way.

I have been exploring online survey platforms and how they might be used to streamline the account review process for both the client and agency staff. There are dozens of “survey” platforms available, but they are so similar, that the biggest difference usually comes down to pricing and plans available. The vast majority of these platforms provide survey forms that look dated. They also force desktop users to switch back and forth from mouse to keyboard to complete the form. Even more effort is required to complete the form on a mobile device.

In my research, I came across a new platform (launched late last year) called Typeform. Typeform has taken a different approach to online forms by making them look good and have them both keyboard and mobile friendly.

Check out a sample of how their forms look and work.

Creating a Typeform is similar to other online form and survey platforms. You use a drag-and-drop interface to add different types of questions to your form, adding descriptions and options, and then linking these parts together to create the flow your users will follow in answering your questions.

Typeform only shows one question at a time, and automatically places the cursor in the answer field so you are ready to type in your response. You don’t have to click anywhere. If there are multiple-choice options, Typeform shows letters beside each option so the user can just tap the keyboard letter and immediately proceed to the next question. These options are also customized for mobile platform to make your form mobile-touch easy.

Each form is available using a URL link, can be launched in a pop-up window on your website, or embedded directly in a web page on your agency website. The agency receives an email notification when each form is completed. Information from the forms can also be exported as a spreadsheet in Excel file format and is accessible through their API, so – at least theoretically – the date can be automatically added to your agency management system.

I recommend you embed these forms on your agency website. You can send an email to the client asking them to complete the form by providing a link to the specific page. This gives them a good reason to go to your agency website, and allows you to subtly include an upsell or cross-sell reminder on the thank you page they will see after the form is completed.

As in many platforms, there is a free and pro version. The free version lets you make unlimited forms with basic features. The pro version adds logic jumps and hidden fields to forms, as well as removes the Typeform branding. If you only need a couple of forms, you can pay $10 per form for a pro version. For $240 per year, you can have an unlimited number of pro forms.

I’m impressed with Typeform. There is no longer any excuse for every agency not to have an annual account review process as part of every renewal for every client as a best practice.

Are you using electronic forms for annual account reviews? If so, what have you found to be successful? Please leave your comments.