European insurance customers value person-to-person or hybrid (physical and digital) experiences

London, November 18, 2020 — According to Forrester (Nasdaq: FORR), the quality of CX across European auto and home insurance providers is mediocre. With the industry’s low-touch engagement model, channel complexity, and price sensitivity, leading insurers struggle to elevate customer experience.

Forrester’s 2020 European Insurance Customer Experience Index (CX Index™), released at CX EMEA today, also reveals that European insurance customers value person-to-person interactions or a hybrid of physical and digital experiences, as opposed to a digital-only experience.

Other key findings include:

  • European customers found speaking with a person easiest and most effective; however, there needs to be an improved customer experience. Even though Spanish and French customers found a phone call an effective way to do business with insurers, only 59% of Spanish and 65% of French customers said it was a positive experience.
  • Informative agents drive great experiences, as does showing respect for customers. Whether an insurance agent answers all of a customer’s questions has the most impact on an insurer’s overall CX in France, Italy, and Spain. In the UK, respecting customers drives CX quality.
  • Feeling confident, respected, and understood are the top emotional drivers of loyalty. Among European customers who felt confident, 73% will advocate for the brand and 70% plan to spend more with the brand, even though only 45% plan to stay with the brand.
  • Disappointment drives European customers away.Of disappointed customers, 13% say they will stay with the brand, just 5% will advocate for the brand, and only 8% will spend more.

“Our research shows that the quality of CX across European insurance is relatively low, with the majority of customers rating the quality of their auto and home insurance experiences as OK,” said Forrester VP and Research Director Oliwia Berdak. “However, there is plenty that insurers can do to enhance CX, which will ultimately increase brand loyalty and boost revenue. This includes equipping their agents with the tools that help them address customer queries or improving key customer journeys.”

Forrester’s 2020 European Insurance Customer Experience Index is based on surveys of 12,200 European adult customers of 57 brands in the UK, France, Italy, and Spain, including 29 of the largest and most important in auto and home insurance.

Resources:

  • Learn more about how Forrester’s CX Index can help your business here.
  • Find out where your brand ranks in the UK, France, Italy, and Spain.

About Forrester’s CX Index
Forrester’s CX Index is the most complete and powerful CX tool in the market today. The CX Index connects quality and loyalty measures to specific revenue drivers, giving leaders the unprecedented ability to guide CX investments that produce revenue return.

About Forrester
Forrester (NASDAQ: FORR) is one of the most influential research and advisory firms in the world. We help organizations grow through customer obsession, putting their customers at the center of leadership, strategy, and operations. Through Forrester’s proprietary research, consulting, and events, business and technology leaders from around the globe are empowered to be bold at work — to navigate change and build customer-obsessed growth strategies. Our unique insights are grounded in annual surveys of more than 675,000 consumers, business leaders, and technology leaders worldwide; rigorous and objective methodologies, including Forrester Wave™ evaluations; and the shared wisdom of our most innovative clients. To learn more, visit Forrester.com.