CIGNA HealthCare Earns J.D. Power and Associates Call Center Certification

CIGNA HealthCare is the first national health carrier to be recognized for call center operation customer satisfaction excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program(SM), the companies announced today. This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment by CIGNA HealthCare’s call center operations to provide “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience” for its nine million medical members nationwide.

At a certification event held today in CIGNA’s corporate offices, J.D. Power and Associates reports that CIGNA HealthCare’s call centers surpassed the rigorous standards of the certification process, exhibiting a solid commitment to customer satisfaction. The true strength of CIGNA HealthCare’s call centers lies in their representatives, who score well above average for their knowledge and courtesy, and for the usefulness of the information they provide to customers during calls.

CIGNA HealthCare’s call center operations, located in Bourbonnais, Ill.; Charlotte, N.C.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Scranton, Penn.; Sherman, Texas; and Visalia, Calif., handle more than 20 million telephone calls, e- mails and faxes from members each year. The call center operations successfully passed a detailed audit of their recruiting, training, employee incentives, management roles and responsibilities, and quality assurance capabilities. As part of its evaluation, J.D. Power and Associates conducted a random survey of CIGNA HealthCare’s member-customers who recently contacted its call centers.

To attain certification, a call center must meet the J.D. Power and Associates’ cross-industry customer satisfaction criteria. The criteria used include evaluation of: courtesy; knowledge; concern for the customer; usefulness of the information provided; convenience of operating hours; ease of reaching a representative; and timely resolution.

“As consumers become more engaged and responsible for their health care, we’re raising the bar to respond to their questions and concerns, quickly, knowledgably, effectively and with empathy,” said H. Edward Hanway, chairman and chief executive officer of CIGNA Corporation. “Earning the J.D. Power and Associates certification for delivering ‘An Outstanding Customer Service Experience’ is both an honor and an important affirmation of the progress we’re making to become a trusted advisor for our members.”

The Call Center Certification Program was launched by J.D. Power and Associates in 2004 to evaluate overall customer satisfaction and help call centers in various industries increase their efficiency and effectiveness by establishing best practices for handling service calls.