CIGNA's IFP "Support" Blows

[moonlightandmargaritas]

A few months back, I get a call from "Sandy", my CIGNA "rep" (Health Plan Services in Tampa is their TPA) offering to answer any questions/provide any support I may have/need...

Sent her an email with a technical question on May 28th - no reply.

Sent her an email early this morning (6/25) with a rather benign product knowledge question...

No reply by 6PM. Called her extension, and she answered! Asked her why she didn't reply to emails, her reply, "I didn't get in til noon and have been tied up in meetings all day."

Boy, does CIGNA's IFP support suck.

 

[COInsguy]

That's pretty poor customer service for sure. Not representative of them all though.

My Rep here in Colorado I know now on a personal level, have a direct UW phone number for a quick question whenever I need it, and got great help from commissions department when my checks didn't come to me from my own fault when changing my address.

Not to be a commercial for cigna, they aren't competetive with the HSA plan they offer so I only have 10 or 15 clients on the books with them but I get help when I need it.

 

[ksigmtsu]

My rep set 2 appointments to come meet me here in town, and stood me up both times, never called until about 2 hours after the appointment in both cases. I just call the broker support line. Not really sure what they pay her for, other than standing me up lol.

 

[bill3173]

I've looked at problems like this from every angle, and they all seem to have the same root cause - Laziness.

If you send enough business to a particular carrier, they will magically be more responsive, but it shouldn't have to be that way. It all goes back to poor work ethic, ie. don't want to have to do anything.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

There's another root cause: Salary. Most of the carrier reps are on salary with a very small override/bonus based on production. The bottom line is they get paid whether or not they respond to your emails/calls.

 

[VolAgent]

There's another root cause: Salary. Most of the carrier reps are on salary with a very small override/bonus based on production. The bottom line is they get paid whether or not they respond to your emails/calls.

I think Bill is closer to the answer. Even people on commission can be lazy. We have breed a generation that takes no pride in a job well done, and just does the minimum to get by. Of course there have always been slackers, but it just seems more widespread now.

 

[medx]

A few months back, I get a call from "Sandy", my CIGNA "rep" (Health Plan Services in Tampa is their TPA) offering to answer any questions/provide any support I may have/need...

Sent her an email with a technical question on May 28th - no reply.

Sent her an email early this morning (6/25) with a rather benign product knowledge question...

No reply by 6PM. Called her extension, and she answered! Asked her why she didn't reply to emails, her reply, "I didn't get in til noon and have been tied up in meetings all day."

Boy, does CIGNA's IFP support suck.

Thats not good..

 

[bukev1]

a lot of group reps simply are burnt out...they are holding on to their attractive salary and benefits and expense accounts.

Loss of passion within the indusry on the carrier side.