The Project
To comply with state laws, it is mandatory to possess an insurance license for individuals responsible for reviewing and enrolling individuals in health, life, and/or property and casualty insurance plans.
The organization provides call center agents to numerous insurance companies, so they have established a program to facilitate licensing for individuals hired as insurance agents.
Upon joining the licensing pool, individuals undergo a comprehensive training program that spans 10-13 days. This training focuses on familiarizing them with the intricacies of insurance specific to their respective state. They engage with licensing content and receive guidance from mentors. Subsequently, they are required to take the licensing exam in their state.
Upon obtaining their insurance licenses, individuals are assigned to their specific programs and receive additional product training for several weeks. Following this training, they transition into the production phase, where they handle actual calls.
The Problem
The insurance licensing process faced several challenges that hindered the effective selection and preparation of licensed agents. These challenges included:
- a flawed agent selection process
- inadequate preparation for the licensing exam
- inconsistent review activities by facilitators
- an overwhelming volume of terminology to memorize
- dry and test-focused training materials
- variations in rules across different states
- difficulty with formulary math
- high drop-out rates
- previous unsuccessful attempts at developing relevant content
The program nets licensed agents – but the yield could be much better.
Expected Outcome
Improve yield rate by 10%
$516,000 ROI through attrition based on 2022 headcount
$400,183 estimated savings post implementation
The Design
Day in the Life Videos
Leverage real agents to create short videos around what it is like to complete the program and what is needed to pass the exam. These videos were to be used in the classroom for motivation and talent acquisition during the recruitment phase to give prospective employees a glimpse of the COI program.
Facilitator 101
Develop an onboarding curriculum for trainers to ensure they can effectively guide learners through their learning journey. This was a 31-course program that taught new temporary facilitators about the COI program and how to use COI-specific tools such as Airtable, ExamFX, Kronos, Empower, and Oracle. The training also taught new facilitators how to manage a classroom successfully, with courses such as:
- Inspiring Learners in the Classroom
- Mentoring Learners to Take Charge of their Learning
- Keeping Your Class Engaged
- Supporting Adult Learners Who Are Struggling
- Balancing Workloads to Meet Deadlines
- Study Techniques
Reinforcement Activities
The team created scenario-based, facilitator-led activities that connect content with the context. They created on-demand motivational videos from the SVP, VP, and other key department leadership.
The reinforcement activities focused on 5 key areas for the insurance licensing exams:
- Accident & Health Insurance
- Personal Lines Insurance
- North Carolina Medicare
- Property & Casualty Insurance
- Insurance Adjuster
The reinforcement activities were built using tools such as Articulate Rise and Genially. They focused on key items learners needed to know to become a state-licensed insurance agent in their respective states. The reinforcement activities were designed by chapter and by state.
The Result
I collaborated with the Talent Acquisition Marketing team to identify former program participants and have them record their messages. Then the TA team created short videos to use during the TA process and for the design team to use in the new curriculum.
I led a team of 6 Instructional Designers through creating over 200 pieces of content, including facilitator-led courses, self-paced Rise courses, interactive activities created in Genially, and Synthesia videos. I designed the Rise and ILT templates for the team’s use.
The project ran from March 22 to May 26, 2023.
The curricula included:
- Facilitator 101 – a curriculum that included a preview of the COI program and how to use tools such as Airtable and ExamFx. This curriculum is for new facilitators brought in to teach COI during ramps.
- A core curriculum to use across multiple lines
- Health and Accident Insurance Reinforcement Activities
- North Carolina Medicare Reinforcement Activities
- Property & Casualty Insurance Reinforcement Activities
- Adjuster Reinforcement Activities
User/SME Feedback
“This curriculum and reinforcement activities is just what we needed!”
“This looks fantastic, kudos to you and your team.”
“The pilot class for Insurance Client U with the new curriculum and implementation of new/different management routines has produced an 82% Pass Rate and a 20% Drop Rate.”
*Pass Rate threshold for success is 65% or above, with a Drop Rate of 30% or below.