Bupa updates site to boost customer service

Bupa's web site is undergoing reconstructive surgery

Bupa is overhauling its web site to improve customer service as increasing numbers of people opt for private medical cover.

The web refresh will be one of the main focus areas for the health insurance group next year, with the aim of automating tasks and giving a more contemporary feel to the information available online, chief applications officer David Guest told Computing.

"There is a wealth of information available on the internet already, but the web site currently has a temporary look. So we are working on improvements in functionality to make it easier to use and improve the quality of the experience online," he said.

"We want to provide a self-service facility to customers, where they will be able to get quotes a lot faster and transact, for example."

Bupa is a big user of outsourcing for software development and is also looking for ways to generate savings. For example, a recent deal with supplier Patni for support and maintenance work in areas such as web applications is part of a goal to save £1m over three years.

The firm's intention to offer self service over the web makes financial sense, as it will offload administrative tasks to customers, said Juergen Weiss, principal research analyst for insurance at Gartner.

"Insurance companies have lagged behind in terms of client services innovation for years and most of the contact with customers happens during the billing stage. But companies are finally realising that there is huge untapped potential in introducing interaction to save money," he said.

Figures from the Association of British Insurers show that more than seven million people now have a private health insurance policy. And clients are increasingly looking for a wider range of support services, according to separate studies by healthcare researcher Laing & Buisson.