Looking to Boost Member Engagement? It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination.

Many consumer brands have learned that broader, more sustainable success is achieved by building long-lasting relationships with customers instead of being hyper-focused on an initial sale or a specific transaction. In other words, they take the long view. They focus on the journey, not a destination.

For example, Nike is not in the business of selling shirts or shoes. They are in the business of creating emotional connections that lead to long-term relationships. That’s why in many Nike commercials, you don’t even see a specific product marketed. Instead, the company shares a narrative, creates an emotional bond and pulls you into a personal journey with the brand. Nike operates in a fiercely competitive segment with other powerhouse companies and emerging challengers. And yet the “swoosh” from their logo is one of the most recognizable symbols ever.

Nike is the easiest, and most obvious, example, but there are countless consumer brands that have succeeded by aiming for long-term customer loyalty. You’ll receive consistent value from Airbnb’s marketing efforts without always being asked to make a purchase. The brand educates and informs customers and lets them raise their hands when it’s time for their next adventure. With Sephora, a very robust loyalty program consistently and meaningfully rewards customers with every interaction. REI invites customers to become lifetime members for a nominal sign-up fee (which is usually waived for larger purchases). Members are eligible for several perks, including being part of an inner circle that buys, sells and trades gently used merchandise.

Brands who operate with this relationship-centric mentality consistently meet and exceed customer expectations. They always keep the bigger picture front and center. They find ways to be top of mind and relevant in their customers’ lives. They always lead with value.

The business benefits of this approach are bountiful. They include an enhanced customer experience, an ability to influence desired customer behaviors, better and more consistent user feedback and significant upticks in loyalty.

Unfortunately, this approach is still quite rare in healthcare. Too often in healthcare scenarios, transactions are prioritized over establishing deeper connections. If you are trying to boost satisfaction and retention while effectively engaging members, you need to build relationships. This is particularly true when engaging with older Americans.

In other words, think about engagement efforts in a longitudinal fashion rather than episodic. The nature of healthcare delivery has trained us and members to focus on complaint-driven encounters. Individuals engage only when there is an acute health concern, and we reach out when there is a specific action we need them to take.

In the space between, there is no relationship. Your engagement strategy should address this missing element and transition from a transactional, episodic mindset to a longitudinal effort aimed at building relationships. By taking this approach, you can understand at an individual level what members need, how they think and their preferences. This will allow you to personalize your messaging and offerings.

When you take the long view, you create win-win scenarios for both your plan and the member, but you should prioritize member wins early in the process. Members aren’t excited to answer calls or fill out surveys. They won’t readily agree to track their vitals or follow nutrition plans. In the short term, you need to deliver instant gratification.

While participating in an in-home wellness assessment is beneficial, it doesn’t provide an immediate payoff for the member. Consider offering something that creates value for your plan while providing a clear and immediate benefit to the member.

Another key point in taking the long view is to use every encounter as an opportunity to keep the momentum going. Engaging someone is hard, and activating them to take specific action is even harder. Once you’ve accomplished that, use the encounter to nudge the member to the next right step for them. This is important, because members need serious help navigating their healthcare. However, in a recent JD Power report, only 31% of MA members said their plan made it easy for them to find care. One simple way for you to improve navigation for your members is to make the most of situations where you already have their attention.

Our logistical process prioritizes sending the same technician to the same member for each visit whenever possible. This approach creates more opportunities for building real relationships and further healthcare activation. For example, nearly 60% of members who previously declined an in-home wellness assessment agree to participate after forming a relationship with a Belle Technician.

This post is an excerpt from our recent eBook, “Bringing Value Home: How Medicare Advantage Plans Can Engage High-Risk, Medically Complex Members”. For more insights on engaging MA members at home, click here and download the full eBook.