More than the sum of its parts

Author / contact: Kimberley Davies.

In this blog I explore the importance of completeness of execution in systems, and how Kennedys IQ are applying that to solutions such as Portal Manager to improve efficiency and overcome the limitations of other systems.

When I am buying technology one of the most significant factors is compatibility with other devices. It’s why when it comes time to upgrade my phone, I am unwaveringly brand-loyal. If all my day-to-day technology is the same brand, I know they will just work together without any issue, making my life simpler and allowing me to be more efficient. Many of you I’m sure will be able to relate to this.

Of course each of my devices have great features and are useful of their own accord but when they all work together seamlessly they are more valuable than their component parts. Each of them fill a need individually but being able to transfer from one device to another and pick up where I left off is hugely valuable. When I get into my car my phone automatically pairs and continues playing whatever I was listening to, when I put headphones in they connect to the device in proximity that I’m using, photos, documents and websites automatically sync between devices so I don’t waste time transferring information. I’ve come to expect my devices to work together to make my life easier.

I suppose I don’t really appreciate the full value of this until this experience isn’t seamless. There are few things I find as frustrating as spending time trying to connect or transfer data between devices that aren’t compatible. It’s particularly annoying when it should be simple to design technology that works together. My TV for example is happy to mirror the screen of some brands of device but not others, as I found after a couple of hours trying in vain with wires and software to get my tablet to connect.

I spend a lot of time talking about double-keying and moving between different incompatible systems with clients. A few minutes of double-keying might seem inconsequential but when you scale it up across a whole team or organisation, it becomes considerable. Where multiple systems are necessarily, having a frictionless hand off by means of an API or data feed is essential for efficiency.

Efficiency isn’t the only gain from using one system or systems that handoff without friction, it also allows you to build up a better picture with more data. Anyone who knows me well will know I like data. There’s huge value in data and having the data for an entire process allows you to examine it holistically and make operational and strategic decisions. As a business we spend a lot of time looking at the data we capture and what value can be derived from it by our clients. Having the full picture allows you to make better decisions and in turn achieve better outcomes.

Many of our clients have injury portal exposure and are busy re-tooling their businesses to handle the Whiplash Reforms. If there’s only one timeline you’ve remembered about claims in the OIC portal it is likely the 30 days the compensators will have to make a liability decision. With a short window for initial investigation of the claim, every day counts. To help our clients meet this challenge we’ve designed Portal Manager as an end-to-end solution.

After May 31^st 2021 organisations with portal exposure have to respond to claims in two separate portals, MoJ and the new OIC portal, mostly depending on the claim value. Having to switch between the portals to manage claims is not only cumbersome, but is likely to result in mistakes and missed deadlines. As we’ve been designing Portal Manager we have been mindful of making the experience as seamless as possible for the claims handlers, removing barriers rather than creating new hurdles. As such we have designed Portal Manager to pull claims from both portals into a single interface so you can see the full picture, eliminating the issues with having to monitor two portals.

We’ve also worked on making sure handlers and managers can get immediate insight into critical issues from just one dashboard. Handlers can see all of their claims on a simple timeline so they can manage their workload effectively and ensure deadlines are met. Managers are able to get an overview of all claims, including exits, timeouts, and individual handler performance. This can all be gleaned from a simple dashboard in a matter of seconds, so you can make informed resourcing decisions and manage the team effectively to meet the fluctuating claims load.

At launch of the OIC portal, the court process is not part of the workflow, adding an extra layer of complexity to handling the claims and making it harder to keep track of the progress of the claim. We want to make sure the process is as clear as possible, so we’ve built Portal Manager’s workflow to unite the OIC portal and court components so you can clearly track the progress of claims and ensure deadlines are met. This should make the first few months in the OIC’s unfamiliar process much easier for handlers.

We set out to make a solution that is not only comprehensive but also will make claims handlers’ work as straightforward as possible. Portal Manager is packed with smart features that make handling portal claims more efficient and improve consistency but it’s also the little things that will improve the experience for handlers. The absence of wasted time moving claims between systems and instead having everything you need in one place, and being able to manage the process from start to finish in one place, this is what will make the difference for claims teams. Portal Manager is providing more value to clients than just the sum of its parts.

To learn more about Portal Manager and how it can help your business both now and in the future, contact the team at Kennedys IQ.