Customer Relationship Management Strategy Term Paper

Customer relationship management (CRM) is an essential component of organizational management. The purpose of this discussion is to focus on a CRM strategy for United Behavioral Health a subsidiary of United Health Care . . United Behavioral Health is dedicated to presenting customers with high quality, cost-effective, managed mental health and substance abuse services to its customers. The investigation suggests that the company's core values have been successfully implemented into the company's CRM Strategy. The current CRM strategy utilizes technology to allow customers to voice their opinions. Currently the company's website ubhweb.uhc.com provides a page that offers help to members that are experiencing problems. In addition, it provides customers with "coaches" that can help whenever problems arise. The company's customers are currently divided into three different groups; the employer division, the health plan division and the public sector. We found testimonials of customers who were extremely satisfied with the care and attention that they received from the company. In the future, the company wants to implement a strategy that provides customers with access to their accounts, allows for the secure flow of customer information, allows customers to ask healthcare questions and receive answers online, and provides as many customers as possible with efficient healthcare services.

The discussion suggest that identification and differentiation are essential to building a successful CRM strategy. The investigation suggest that to properly serve customers the company must have as much information as possible. The company must have the customers' medical records to provide them with the proper care. These medical records should include the type of medication that the clients are currently receiving or have received in the past. In addition, the research suggests that the proper identification of customers can lead to greater customer satisfaction.

The research also suggests that differentiation is also essential. The investigation asserts that customer value is the most prevalent method used to differentiate customers. Differentiation is important because it allows organizations to place their resources into the customers that are the most valuable.

The new CRM Strategy is designed to address many issues including the customization of services. These improvements include new software and a database of accurate customer information. The IDIC design will incorporate the new strategies that are discussed in various sections of the report. These improved strategies include an identification process that place the customers into different categories and arranges categories to find the customer based on the characteristics that they have provided. The differentiation strategy will be designed to utilize a new valuation model and to understand how future earnings, retention rate and profit margin, acquisition rate and cost of acquiring new customers aid in the process of valuing customers. The Interactive strategy will include an improved dialogue and a drip irrigation strategy. Finally, the CRM strategy will be customized within the employer division. This tactic will utilize courtesy calls and mailings, which will inform the consumers of any changes to their policies or plans.

Section 1: INTRODUCTION

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a key component of organizational management. Ensuring that customers are satisfied with the service and products that they purchase should be at the forefront of strategic goals at any firm. The purpose of this discussion is to focus on a CRM strategy for United Behavioral Health. We will begin our discussion with some background information about the organization.

Brief Company Background

United Behavioral Health is a subsidiary of United Health Care. UBH was established in 1985 with the sole purpose of assisting its clients with the management of their behavioral health care services. UBH is dedicated to delivering high quality, cost-effective, managed mental health and substance abuse services to its customers. These services will evolve and respond as the field of health care management changes. The offices of UBH are located all over the country with corporate offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Each center is divided into different markets. For instance one of the divisions is Group South with headquarters located in Coral Gables, Florida and services: Florida, Maryland (Mid-Atlantic), Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Virginia.

United Behavioral Health's mission is to improve the mental health and well-being of individuals. They support this mission by stating: United Behavioral Health (UBH), is a subsidiary of United Health Group. Inherent in this mission are three closely related goals.

1. To provide quality services to patients and customers

2. The second is to control costs through clinically proven treatment programs.

3. Developing and managing a system attractive to health plan customers is their final goal.

Their vision is focused on improving members' lives with professional service and quality care. Their Core values are as follows:

Responsiveness, compassion, advocacy, for those affected by mental illness and substance abuse

Respect for the dignity and privacy of individuals.

Prevention and education

Honesty and Integrity

Operational excellence

Continuous Learning and Innovation

CURRENT CRM STATE

The current CRM strategy utilizes technology to allow customers to voice their opinions. Currently the company's website ubhweb.uhc.com provides a page that offers help to members that are experiencing problems. The company has a "help a member" tool that allow customer service representatives to assists customers. This tools gives customers links to healthcare providers, allows them to review policies and allows them to fill out surveys.

This current system does meet some of the needs that customers have by enabling them to inquire about the services that are available to them. In addition, it also allows consumers to participate in surveys that allow the company to better serve them. The current system is also convenient as it allows customer to make inquiries over the internet and on the phone.

According to the company's website, unitedbehavioralhealth.com the organization serves a wide range of customers. These customers include fortune 500 companies, child welfare, disability carriers and school districts (Our Structure). To better serve these customers the company has divided them into segments. These segments can be found on the website and are depicted below:

Customers that utilize the services that the company offers are pleased with the service that they receive. This satisfaction is associated with the fact that the company is innovative and has created a customer relations strategy that utilizes current technologies. In fact, the company was one of the first in the industry to use the internet to meet and address the needs of customers.(Our History) In addition the company was the first to offer a spectrum of services which include disability support, employee assistance, and behavioral health programs.(Our History).

The company's customers are also served in a unique capacity because they do not have to call different 1-800 numbers to get what they need. Instead, customers are given a coach that aids them with their policies and helps them find solutions. (Our solutions) This strategy makes it easy for customers to get the type of attention that they need and the one on one service that is lacking at similar companies.

In addition, the values that the company has are instrumental in the execution of the current CRM strategy. The commitment that the company has to meet the needs of customers is beneficial to the customer and draws other customers. Customers seem pleased with the type of service that they receive from the company. One such example is the feedback that the company received from a customer named Thelma. Thelma lost her husband and had a difficult time coping with is death. Thelma explains how the company's service aided her in a time of need. Thelma asserts

"She had trouble getting out of bed in the morning and watched numbly as her bills piled up. When her car developed engine trouble, she left it in the garage. Bob always took care of these things. She felt sad, alone, and unsure about what to do. Thelma's son encouraged her to call UBH for help. Soon she was working through the grieving process with a therapist. UBH also connected Thelma with a financial advisor and a mechanic. With her household finances under control and her car back in working order, Thelma is slowly learning how to move on with her life." (Thelma's Story)

This story is proof positive that customers are satisfied with UBH. This is just one of many testimonies that can be found on the company's website. The following is a Touch point Map for the company. As you can see, post service stages of the customer service cycle are emphasized the most.

Awareness

Knowledge

Consideration

Selection

Satisfaction

Loyalty

Advocacy

Section 3: DESIRED STATE

In relation to CRM, the company must ensure that it has the competitive advantage over the competition in the industry. The company must formulate ways to provide the type of service that customer's desire. For instance, the company must make sure that when customers call the company's emergency number for assistance there is not a long wait. The company must also ensure that customer service representatives are trained and understand how to deal with customers properly.

In addition, the company must make a concerted effort to supply programs…