Speed Without Sacrifice

In the fast-paced world of claims handling, speed is often seen as the gold standard. Rapid responses lead to faster resolutions, lower costs, and happier policyholders. But when vendor partners are under pressure to move quickly, quality can suffer—and that’s when rework, complaints, and delays sneak back in.

How can claims professionals strike the right balance between urgency and excellence? It begins with clear expectations, smart accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement.

Set the Right Benchmarks from the Start

Vendors are most effective when they understand your priorities. Turnaround time goals are essential—but not enough on their own. You also need to define what quality looks like.

• Response Time: Define expectations for first contact with the policyholder, site inspections, and estimate submissions.
• Workmanship Standards: Require vendors to meet specific repair quality guidelines or material specs, especially in restoration or reconstruction.
• Customer Interaction: Evaluate professionalism, communication clarity, and responsiveness in vendor policyholder interactions.

Use service-level agreements (SLAs) to document these standards and communicate them clearly during onboarding.

Create a Feedback Loop That Works

Fast turnaround means little if you’re constantly correcting vendor mistakes or calming frustrated policyholders. Implement a feedback loop to catch issues early and drive improvement. This can include:

• Post-job surveys: Gather feedback directly from policyholders after vendor interactions.
• Internal quality audits: Review completed work and documentation for accuracy and completeness.
• Scorecards and reporting: Track vendor performance over time and share results regularly.

Make quality metrics part of your routine vendor reviews—not just something you check when things go wrong.

Train Vendors for Your Pace and Process

A high-performing vendor in one region or industry may not automatically align with your company’s claims philosophy. Providing targeted onboarding and periodic refresher training ensures your partners understand:

• Your internal claims workflows and escalation procedures
• Your preferred communication cadence with policyholders
• How to use your tech tools and portals effectively

When vendors are trained to your expectations, they can work faster and smarter—without cutting corners.

Reward Reliability, Not Just Speed

Too often, vendor assignments go to whoever can take the job fastest. But long-term efficiency comes from consistent results. Reward high-performing vendors who meet both timeliness and quality goals by:

• Increasing assignment volume
• Prioritizing them in surge or catastrophe scenarios
• Recognizing achievements in vendor scorecards or reports

This not only motivates vendors but reinforces your organization's commitment to excellence.

Final Thoughts

Speed is important—but not at the cost of quality. Claims professionals who define balanced benchmarks, engage in proactive oversight, and invest in vendor relationships will find that it's possible to move quickly and deliver exceptional service.

In today’s environment, the goal isn’t just to be fast—it’s to be right the first time, every time.