White-Glove Communication in Claims: The KPI Everyone Overlooks
When carriers talk about their biggest frustrations with TPAs, it’s rarely the technical work that makes the list; it’s communication.
Ask any adjuster or risk manager what drives them crazy, and you’ll hear the same refrain:
“I never know what’s happening with my claim.”In an industry where every hour counts and transparency builds trust, communication is more than a soft skill; it’s a measurable performance driver.
At Veritas Claims, we call it white-glove communication, a hands-on, proactive approach that ensures no client, no claim, and no conversation ever falls into a black hole.
The problem: most TPAs treat communication as an afterthought
Large TPAs dominate the market, but scale often comes at the cost of service. The pattern is familiar:
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Claims submitted into online portals vanish for days or weeks.
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Emails go unanswered.
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Adjusters spend hours tracking down status updates.
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Clients feel like they’re talking to an inbox instead of a person.
When follow-up becomes a full-time job, even the best technical performance feels like failure.
Worse, poor communication compounds every other inefficiency: longer cycle times, repeated work, billing disputes, and client churn.
The reality: communication is a measurable KPI
While many firms treat communication as “soft” or intangible, it’s actually quantifiable.
Carriers can and should measure:
|
Communication Metric |
Description |
Benchmark |
|
Average Response Time |
Hours from client inquiry to first reply |
< 2 hours |
|
Touchpoint Frequency |
Number of proactive updates per claim |
3–5 minimum |
|
Escalation Resolution |
Time to resolve urgent inquiries |
< 24 hours |
|
Client Satisfaction (CSAT) |
Post-closure feedback on communication |
90%+ target |
These KPIs correlate directly with retention, referral, and performance scores across claims programs.
In other words: better communication isn’t just polite, it’s profitable.
What “white-glove” communication actually looks like
White-glove communication means being proactive, personal, and precise at every step of the claim.
At Veritas, that looks like this:
1. Dedicated Account Contact
Every client has a single point of contact who knows their portfolio, preferences, and team by name.
2. Voice-first outreach
When an issue arises, we pick up the phone. Calls build clarity faster than email threads ever could.
3. Structured touchpoints
We schedule check-ins throughout the claim lifecycle (intake, appraisal, towing, cargo, and closure) so clients never have to chase updates.
4. Transparent documentation
Every communication is logged, timestamped, and accessible in the client’s file.
5. Real accountability
Supervisors review communication metrics alongside technical KPIs in every performance audit.
This model replaces the uncertainty of “I wonder where my claim is” with the confidence of “I already know.”
How poor communication drives real losses
When a claim “goes dark,” costs don’t just rise, they multiply.
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Cycle times increase. Waiting for responses delays appraisals, release approvals, and payments.
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Towing and storage fees escalate. Each day of silence equals hundreds or thousands of dollars in added cost.
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Client confidence erodes. Once communication breaks down, even resolved claims feel mishandled.
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Internal strain grows. Adjusters spend time managing vendors instead of managing risk.
In short: silence costs money.
The Veritas model: communication by design, not by chance
We built our communication framework intentionally because we’ve seen what happens when it’s ignored.
Here’s how we keep clients informed from day one:
1. Clear intake confirmation
When a claim arrives, the client receives immediate acknowledgment and contact info for their assigned account representative.
2. Built-in touchpoints
Every file follows a structured communication cadence:
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Day 1: Intake confirmation and estimated cycle time.
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Mid-cycle: Update on appraisal or negotiation progress.
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Pre-closure: Summary of results and any pending items.
3. Real humans, not ticket systems
Our supervisors and account managers are reachable by phone. Clients know the names and voices of the people managing their claims.
4. Dedicated follow-up roles
For larger clients, we assign team members specifically responsible for outbound updates, ensuring no file ever stalls due to unreturned calls or emails.
5. Escalation clarity
If a client flags an issue, it goes straight to the right department lead (towing, appraisal, or cargo) without being rerouted through a call center maze.
The result: faster claims, happier clients
When communication improves, everything else does too.
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Cycle times shorten. Clear updates keep appraisers, tow partners, and clients synchronized.
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Fewer supplements. Transparent reporting minimizes rework or reopened files.
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Higher client retention. Adjusters who feel informed become long-term advocates.
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Better morale. Teams work more efficiently when they aren’t constantly chasing information.
Communication isn’t an extra; it’s the infrastructure that keeps the entire claims engine running smoothly.
What clients say behind closed doors
At industry events and roundtables, executives from billion-dollar TPAs and carriers share a universal frustration:
“We don’t need cheaper, we need someone who calls us back.”
That’s the white space Veritas fills.
Our size is deliberate: large enough to handle national volume, small enough to stay responsive.
When other TPAs boast about automation and portals, we focus on relationships and results. Because at the end of the day, people don’t remember the portal, they remember the partnership.
Communication in numbers
Recent Veritas reporting highlights how structure and accountability make a measurable impact:
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98% of client inquiries answered within two business hours.
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96% of claims include documented proactive updates.
Average cycle time: 7 days (3 days faster than industry average).
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Client satisfaction: 94% “very satisfied” with communication quality.
These aren’t marketing numbers; they’re operational benchmarks audited across hundreds of files.
Why “white-glove” scales better than “high-volume”
The big-name TPAs thrive on volume. But volume without communication is chaos.
White-glove communication scales differently. It’s about clarity, not quantity.
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Every file has an owner.
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Every owner has a voice.
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Every voice builds trust.
That model doesn’t just retain clients, it wins them. Many of Veritas’ largest accounts began after frustration with unresponsive TPAs who couldn’t explain their own reports.
Our approach turns that frustration into relief and loyalty.
Final thoughts
In cargo claims management, communication is the quiet KPI that determines everything else: speed, accuracy, savings, and satisfaction.
When clients know what’s happening, they make faster decisions, reduce exposure, and strengthen relationships.
White-glove communication is about doing the small things (calling back, checking in, updating early) that add up to the big things: trust, performance, and partnership.
If you’re tired of chasing updates from your current TPA, let’s talk.
At Veritas Claims, communication isn’t a feature; it’s a promise.