PITTSBURGH, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UPMC Health Plan has once again been recognized for call center excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Call Center Certification Program(SM).
To become certified, UPMC Health Plan's call center successfully passed a detailed audit of more than 100 practices that encompass the call center's recruiting, training, employee incentives, management roles and responsibilities, and quality assurance capabilities. J.D. Power and Associates also conducted a random survey of UPMC Health Plan customers who recently contacted its call center.
UPMC Health Plan earned call center certification in 2009 and again in 2011.
"We are proud to have earned this certification because we know it is only awarded to companies that provide the highest levels of customer satisfaction," said Diane P. Holder, President and CEO of UPMC Health Plan. "By earning certification for a third time, it demonstrates that we continue to focus on our members and on delivering quality, affordable care."
The call center certification program was established to evaluate overall customer satisfaction with call centers and to help call centers in various industries increase their efficiency and effectiveness by establishing and continually updating leading practices for handling service calls.
"Providing unparalleled service to our members is always our goal," said Mary Beth Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer for UPMC Health Plan. "We are committed to going the extra mile in providing a high-touch, concierge approach."
The call center certification program includes all industries, not just health care. Of an estimated 75,000 call centers in North America, only 23 American companies earned certification in 2012. Among the other companies were: Audi Customer Relations, Boston Scientific, Capital One Bank and Merrill Lynch Retirement Services.
"Congratulations to UPMC Health Plan for achieving certification for the third time, illustrating their commitment to deliver outstanding service to customers contacting its call center," said Mark Miller, senior director at J.D. Power and Associates. "According to our research, customers report that it is generally quick and easy to get to UPMC Health Plan's customer service representatives, which is so important in the industry they compete in."
Earlier this year, UPMC Health Plan was named Global Call Center of the Year in the large call center category by the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI).
About UPMC Health Plan
UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, one of the nation's top-ranked health systems. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs Plan (SNP), Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to nearly 1.6 million members. UPMC Health Plan's local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
*UPMC Health Plan received the highest numerical score among commercial health plans in Pennsylvania in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Member Health Insurance Plan Study(SM). Study based on 33,039 total member responses, measuring 11 plans in the Pennsylvania-Delaware Region (excludes Medicare and Medicaid). Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of members surveyed December 2010-January 2011. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.
SOURCE UPMC Health Plan