Business action report
Running head: UNRESOLVED COMMUNICATION ISSUES 0
Advance Business Writing
WRTG 394
June 25, 2017
WA3 Project Approval Request
TO: Zach Rios, Claim Manager
FROM: Keshia Jackson, Claim Associate
DATE: June 22, 2017
SUBJECT: Project Approval Request
Introduction
State Farm has multiple call centers across the United States to assist customers with their automobile insurance questions and concerns. State Farm claim associates provide assistance to customers and claimants to help get their vehicles back to pre-loss condition. During phone calls, claim associates are trained to deliver excellent and smooth assistance to our customers. State Farm call centers depend on claim associates to deliver information to the customers in an easy to understand way. Not only should customers understand the next step but they should have confidence in State Farm and their associates.
Background
It has been noted that there are many communication barriers that are preventing the business from serving the clients efficiently. When the company changes its policies, the associates need to be trained on how to use that particular system for deliverance to customers. As of now, management releases information by email or during five-minute team huddles (meetings). The information is sent with step-by-step procedures on the new policies and procedure. Our claim associates aren’t able to train and practice using the new procedures until they are on a live call with a customer. Claim associates need to be given enough time to train on the procedures before they make outbound or take incoming calls.
Daily huddles are beneficial to claim associates because managers of each team get to deliver information and point of areas of concern. Even though huddles are implemented daily, five minutes is not enough time for claim associates to understand and get a chance to ask questions for clarity, if needed.
Currently, huddles are located near working claim associates who are handling calls. The designated huddle areas can cause distractions to those trying to listen and take notes. Those who are at their team huddles have noise in the background distracting them. Less distractions will help those in huddle focus on the topic at hand.
Benefits
By implementing solutions to the above areas of concerns, State Farm claim associates can feel confident while delivering information to customers. Not only will claim associates feel confident but our customers will feel reassured. The solutions will reduce managers having to make calls to dissatisfied customers. Customers usually request for a management follow up call when they get different answers from multiple claim associates or when they don’t feel something was handled properly.
Research Methods
The research will entail a qualitative study where each team can submit ideas to improve the communication barriers. Getting feedback from claim associates will provide ways they think will help them with their day to day activities. Each idea will be reviewed and narrowed down to specific solutions.
Time Required & Budget
The research study will take a total of three months due to having approximately 6,000 claim associates. Within the three months, the associates will be given suggestion cards that should be filled out. Each manager from each team will narrow down the list and turn in one consolidated suggestion card.
Providing quality service will not cost the business financially. Research will be done during manager meetings and claim associates can provide their suggestions during their off time. If this project gets approved, State Farm will need to implement the suggested amount of time during the day to review and learn the projected changes.
Final End-Product
It is expected that the firm will be able to prove many communication barriers. For example, to avoid noise barrier, the company introduced the semi-noise canceling headphones that were provided to the associates. Their effectiveness will be analyzed and compose ways of dealing with other obstacles. There are issues of the associates having to make calls while other activities such as huddles are going on beside them. The research will come with a formula or a method for knowing the number of activities that can be assigned to an associate at any one given time (Cheney, & Ashcraft, 2007).
The research will focus on how the associates will be able to keep attention and interpret the information being communicated. The conversation entails important messages that relate to the new procedures, policies, and updates that need to be delivered efficiently. The research will come up with ways on how the associates will be able to construct their sentences so that they are straight to the point and have the right content (Dainty, Moore, & Murray,2007).
Due Date & Delivery Methods
The due date of this research will depend on the approval date of the request. After approving the request, emails will be sent to the associates with suggestion forms attached, and final training content will be delivered through self-training and team-training method.
Qualifications & Experience
The training will be carried out by the communication manager along with the human resources manager. The communication manager has knowledge on different communication methods. The HR manager will be in a better position to provide the trainers with information on the company policies they are expected to uphold.
Conclusion
State Farm has various communication barriers that should be addressed to deliver quality service to our customers. I have addressed the concerns for State Farm that need further review.
I request for the approval to conduct research on the various communication barriers that exist in the company and ways to improve them.
References
Cheney, G., & Lee Ashcraft, K. (2007). Considering “the professional” in communication studies: Implications for theory and research within and beyond the boundaries of organizational communication. Communication Theory, 17(2), 146-175.
Dainty, A., Moore, D., & Murray, M. (2007). Communication in Construction: Theory and practice. Routledge
