Coplus Reshapes Training Approach 

Our partners trust us to support their customer’s to achieve the best outcome from their claim and in a way that reflects positively on their brand. Training and the ongoing development of our people is a critical success factor in how we do this.

Since we introduced our award-winning bespoke Claims Management System, we have been able to make many process improvements including how we support our staff through training. However in 2018 we carried out a more radical reorganisation to training adopting a new agile training model.

This new way of training is done in increments and contributes to a structured training plan with clear roles and responsibilities which gives our people a clear understanding of the skills and experience required to progress through their career with Coplus.

How our agile training model works

Coaches are critical to the success of the new agile approach. Coaches support new starters with initial training and then as they transition into the live claims handling environment. In finding coaches we sought out our experienced people with an aptitude for guiding and helping others. Coaches bring a dynamic aspect to training, as part of our contact centre team our coaches continue to work as claims handlers giving them relevant examples and experience to share through training.

Initial training for new starters is classroom based. Once completed the new claims handlers move to the contact centre where they are supported by coaches as they settle in to their new team. This provides peer-to-peer support for new recruits, deepening their understanding in a supported way. New claims handlers are established more quickly with a sound understanding of all partner schemes.

After around one month supported by their team and our coaches in the contact centre the recruits return to the classroom. Coaches deliver further training sessions in short periods giving in-depth training on the insurance product and the claims journey. Breaking up focused periods in the classroom with practical experience in the contact centre is proving a successful way to increase skills more quickly without compromising on the quality service given. It is also helping to increase engagement of new starters as they are able to put learning into practise more quickly.

The impact of the new training approach

In 2017 new starters spent an average of 25 days in training before moving into the live contact centre environment, with the agile approach is this now completed in only 10 days.

Of course maintaining high quality standards is extremely important. Our regular quality audits show that in 2018 new starters who received training in the new format had a slightly higher quality score after three months than those trained with our previous approach.

Training is now shorter but more effective.

This has also enabled the overall amount of training to increase – for existing staff as well as new starters. In fact it has more than doubled – from 5% of working time in 2017 to 11% in 2018.

Overall we have increased skills across the board giving greater flexibility in resourcing and more engaging, varied roles for our people – exactly what is necessary for keeping engaged staff and our partners and their customers happy.