Blue Shield Gets Bazaarvoice Ratings

BlueShield

Blue Shield of California is lowering its shield -- online at least -- with a new deal with Bazaarvoice that will allow customers to post ratings and reviews on the company's Web site, soliciting feedback about the insurance company's operation. This makes Blue Shield of California the first insurance company in the industry to enable online ratings and reviews -- something which has become standard in other service-intensive, consumer-oriented industries.

The deal, which brings ratings and reviews to the Blue Shield of California Web site, www.blueshieldca.com, allows members to rate different plans with a five-star scale measuring general satisfaction, customer service, value, access to doctors, prescription drug coverage, and the comprehensiveness of different plans. Members can also post comments, advice, and suggestions. The Bazaarvoice ratings and reviews will also provide feedback to Blue Shield that allows it to identify and address customer service issues.

Bazaarvoice already supports social commerce applications for a number of companies in retail, financial services, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, travel, and media, including Best Buy, Crate & Barrel, Dell, Macy's, and Procter & Gamble.

Blue Shield of California's decision to allow consumer feedback is a bold move, suggesting management is confident that the company's customers are reasonably satisfied with their service. This would help differentiate it from the rest of the insurance industry, which is in generally not well-loved by Americans: in October 2008, a Harris poll found that 41% of U.S. adults blamed insurance companies for the high cost of health care -- far more than any other alleged culprit, including pharmaceutical companies (16%), the government (16%), hospitals (6%), or physicians (4%).

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