Why Digital Platforms are Becoming the Preferred Solution for Complex Customer Interactions

Industries like insurance and financial services deal in complex customer interactions, from loan underwriting to claims processing. These multi-step, multi-party processes can take days or even weeks of back and forth, leaving the customer hanging–and giving them plenty of time to consider switching to a competitor. 

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With today’s customers increasingly expecting more speed, more personalization, and more seamless omnichannel experiences, simplifying these complex interactions as much as possible becomes key. Companies who take the lead in doing so, offering a better customer experience than their competitors, see 4% more revenue growth and up to 65% higher TSR than their peers.

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Many have turned to low-code solutions as a quick, simple way to digitize customer interactions. But these tools are limited in their ability to address the demands of modern, high-complexity workflows–and modern, high-expectation customers. The next step in the evolution of low-code solutions is the digital platform, a more holistic, robust solution designed to meet growing demands for efficiency, personalization, and scalability. 

The growing need for simplified solutions in customer interactions

The insurance and finance sectors trade in interactions characterized by high stakes, regulatory requirements, and manual processes, leading to long wait times and multiple, disjointed communication channels. This can be a real pain for customers anxiously awaiting mortgage approvals or large insurance claim resolutions, leading to increased demand for flexible user-friendly solutions. 

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As digital-native companies and consumers become increasingly prominent in the market, customer expectations for faster resolutions, personalized interactions, and seamless omnichannel experiences grow. Speed and personalization is the standard for Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify, and customers expect the same from their bank or insurer. 

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Yet the norm in insurance and banking remains multiple touchpoints with little continuity or data sharing between them. In fact, McKinsey found that 6 in 10 insurance customers switch channels pre-purchase. A customer might receive a quote online, speak to an agent on the phone, and then visit a branch to complete their purchase, having to repeat the same information multiple times throughout the process. 

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On the front- and back-ends, customers and agents enter data manually in back-and-forth communication, increasing the risk of errors and slowing down processes. Inefficiencies tied to legacy systems and siloed processes hinder organizations from responding quickly to customer inquiries, reducing both operational scalability and customer satisfaction. 

In an age when customers are used to instant answers, self-service, and personalized omnichannel experiences, this old-school way of handling complex customer interactions is no longer an option. The need to simplify is clear.

Low-code vs. digital platforms

One way of simplifying complex customer interactions is with low-code solutions, tools that empower in-house teams to build simple workflows with little technical knowledge. Designed for creating specific, standalone applications, low-code solutions are quick but limited, best-suited for automating routine, low-complexity tasks like basic data entry or approvals. However, they’re restricted in their ability to:

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• Handle high-complexity interactions or large–scale integration
• Build advanced workflows like underwriting, claims processing, or regulatory compliance
• Create a seamless, omnichannel experience
• Incorporate advanced technologies like AI or predictive analytics

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Digital platforms go beyond basic low-code, offering a more sophisticated, holistic solution equipped for managing high-complexity workflows that involve multiple stakeholders, compliance layers, and real-time decision-making. They integrate seamlessly with core systems like CRM and ERP, support advanced technologies, and deliver broader, strategic value by optimizing entire workflows, enhancing customer satisfaction, and aligning with business goals.

Key benefits of digital platforms for customer interactions

By simplifying complex customer interactions with a digital platform, you meet your customers where they are, addressing their expectations and giving them what they want. As a result, both the customer and your organization benefit.

Streamlined workflows

Forrester projects an 8% increase in tech spending in 2025 specifically to enable streamlined operations, reflecting the need for more efficient, automated systems. By automating complex processes like underwriting and claims processing in insurance or fraud detection in banking, you reduce errors and improve processing speed, boosting both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Personalization at scale

Digital platforms allow you to leverage analytics to tailor interactions based on customer data. For example, you might pre-approve a loan based on predictive analytics or suggest coverage updates for customers in high-risk regions. As McKinsey notes, more personalization boosts customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty. 

Enhanced operational efficiency 

Paper-based processes cost you significantly in time and resources like printing, mailing, and manual data entry. With a digital platform, you can automate compliance checks and reduce paperwork to cut down redundant costs and speed up service delivery for your customers.

Omnichannel consistency 

The customer journey in insurance and banking can be highly fragmented. In insurance, where customers interact with their carrier only once or twice a year and each interaction is crucial, one in six customers don’t hear back after an initial discussion related to financial advice. Of those who do, 40% report interacting with two or more people, potentially indicating a disjointed experience. 

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Meanwhile, 91% of banking customers expect integrated channels within three years, with 68.5% pointing to the need to repeatedly provide the same information as a major pain point. 

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Digital platforms can help you ensure a seamless experience across platforms, reducing frustration from these common issues.

Scalability and future readiness

Unlike simple low-code solutions, digital platforms support modular architectures, allowing businesses to scale operations and adapt to trends. For example, as customers around the world become more comfortable with the idea of interacting with AI for their insurance policies, digital platforms enable you to support this increasingly prominent technology. 

Real-world applications in high-complexity sectors

Let’s take a look at some ways that companies in various high-complexity sectors can apply digital platforms to simplify processes and meet the needs of their customers. 

Insurance

In the insurance industry, digital platforms can be used for:

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• Underwriting: Using AI and algorithms, digital platforms can aggregate and analyze data to underwrite the risk of potential clients faster and with less bias.
• Claims processing: Digital platforms reduce the manual effort required for claims review, relying on AI and machine learning to identify potentially fraudulent claims and estimate damages and losses, speeding up turnaround times and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Self-service: With digital platforms, you can provide policyholders with real-time access and management capabilities for quotes, policies, endorsements, and claims, reducing load on your customer service organization while improving the customer experience. 

Financial services

Banks, credit unions, and lenders can use digital platforms to streamline:

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• Customer onboarding: Digital platforms guide customers through the onboarding process with intuitive workflows, automating ID verification, form submissions and document uploads to reduce the complexity of regulatory compliance, accelerate onboarding timelines, improve user experience, and lower operational costs.
• Fraud detection and compliance: Digital platforms monitor transactions and flag anomalies in real-time, enhancing fraud prevention with predictive analytics and speeding up reporting to meet regulatory requirements, increase customer trust, and reduce financial losses. 

Healthcare

Health clinics, pharmacies, and labs can implement digital platforms for:

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• Appointment and record management: Digital platforms allow your patients to schedule appointments and access medical records online, reducing your administrative workload while providing patients with greater control over their care journey. 
• Compliance automation: Digital platforms help you ensure documentation adheres to privacy laws and healthcare regulations to reduce the risk of non-compliance and simplify audits for enhanced transparency and legal protection. 

Why digital platforms are essential for competitive customer experiences

Typically, the more complex a customer interaction, the more inefficient, impersonal, and disjointed it is. Digital platforms are essential for simplifying and speeding up these interactions, making them the preferred choice for companies looking to deliver more flexible, efficient, and personalized customer experiences. Moreover, their cost-effectiveness and scalability provide a competitive edge in high-demand, high-volume industries.

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To take the next step in your organization’s customer interaction evolution, explore EasySend’s digital platform solution. 

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