Elevating the Claims Experience through Engagement and Empathy

Chick-fil-A has built success on the tenants of a strong corporate culture, focusing on driving a positive experience, not just for their customers but for their employees too. This session at RIMS 2021 analyzed how Chick-fil-A’s corporate purpose has been built into their claims program to provide the best experience possible for their injured workers.

Speakers included:

• Steve Figliuolo, Principal Program Lead of Claims, Chick-fil-A
• Kimberly George, Global Head of Product Development and Innovation, Sedgwick

Establishing Meaningful Corporate Culture

After struggling for some time to in the 1980s, Chick-fil-A’s corporate leadership sought to redesign their mission, and the outcome was their current corporate purpose: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” Maintaining that positive influence extends not only to guests but to everyone in their chain of command. That same positive mentality comes through in their workers’ compensation program through suggested care. Leadership would only suggest a doctor or program that they would also feel confident in utilizing for themselves or their own family.

Driving Claims Success

Building success in claims starts with treating every claim and every person behind that claim as an individual. As such, Chick-fil-A relies on strong partnerships that understand this message of compassion, including their third-party administrator (TPA) that treats every individual with the same respect regardless of whether a particular claim will be accepted or denied. Efforts to break down the barriers of workers’ compensation have also been applied through a 24-hour call line, allowing team members to report a claim or simply to ask questions about a claim. Empowering their employees to self-report lifts the burden of trust in reporting to upper management and assists the claims process.

Building an Empathetic Claims Team

Chick-fil-A relies heavily on the skills of their nurse case managers, treating each injured worker with the compassionate care they deserve. The 24-hour triage line which enables employees to report a claim also helps to determine appropriate care. For example, what may normally be handled through an emergency room visit might be more easily resolved at a nearby urgent care facility. The nurse case managers can proactively reach out to these facilities and process relevant insurance information to speed up care.

Advice for New Risk Management Programs

Ensure that claims teams are working directly with risk management teams, so their goals are aligned. It prevents silos and creates an open environment to discuss all matters of concern. When asking what you may want your program to look like, reach out to your partners. They work on countless other programs, so they have insight into items you may not have even considered. Chick-fil-A also invests heavily in their risk control program to keep accident prevention at the forefront. Ideally, the best claim is one that doesn’t exist, but the reality is creating an environment that keeps employees as safe as possible.