Service Standards at ISI

Posted on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 at 12:18 pm

Have you ever called a service line, like your internet provider or your cell phone service, and when you hung up the phone, you were smiling because the person on the other end of the line was prompt and empathetic? Customer service can truly make or break a company. Word of mouth travels faster than any means of communication, and in the age of technology, it’s easy to find online reviews detailing one’s opinions or experiences with a particular business. 

At ISI, we pride ourselves on having the best customer service in the industry. This wouldn’t be possible without our clients, both individual and group! Our customer service representatives go through an intensive training program to ensure they provide the best information to you and your students. As the customer service manager at ISI, my experience of moving to the United States from Colombia and the struggles I went through have inspired me to help others in their international education journey and share my experience with my team. So what kind of training does our customer service team go through? And what can your students expect when contacting us? 

Here is a look behind the scenes:

Licensed Insurance Experts

All of our customer service representatives go through the state’s licensing process to obtain their insurance licenses. Insurance in the US is regulated at the state level, for this reason you must be licensed to sell health insurance in the state where you reside. Not all companies invest in their customer service representatives to have an insurance license but we are committed to providing our representatives with additional certifications to ensure they are informed and educated. Going through the insurance class allows our representatives to learn the concepts and terminology of health insurance in depth. It ensures that we will provide our clients with the most accurate information in a way they will understand.

International Education and Industry Knowledge

Higher education can be as complex as the US healthcare system. At ISI, we want our team to be educated not only about insurance, but the specific needs of students or scholars learning abroad. We encourage our team to attend many conferences throughout the international education industry, like NAFSA and ICEF, so they can understand the unique needs these students have and the challenges that face them. We also create presentations on relevant topics to our international community and develop free resources and trainings to help you discuss these subjects with your students.

Empathy and Professionalism

Our insurance representatives are trained to listen to each and every one of our clients. Every international student, scholar, and traveler has their own unique story, and we want to understand their individual needs. We value empathy to really understand the unique needs and help them find the plan and address any additional help they may need. Our clients can be assured that when they contact us, the person on the other end of the line will take ownership of their case and empower them to answer any questions or solve any problems they may encounter.

Immigration and Policy Updates

International students have to learn how to navigate a wide range of immigration policies when planning their studies abroad. We are in constant communication with experts in the industry to stay up to date with the latest regulations. Pandemic or not, we are staying updated on travel warnings from the US Department of State and the CDC, so your students know if and when it’s safe to travel, and that your students are covered no matter where their travels take them.

Cultural Sensitivity

ISI is headquartered in Neptune Beach, FL, US. However, we have three international offices located in Xiamen, China, Mexico City, Mexico, and Leipzig, Germany. Our team includes members from different countries and backgrounds that speak multiple languages and can relate to someone traveling abroad. Like myself, all of our representatives have studied or lived abroad at some point in their lives, allowing them to put themselves in our clients’ shoes.

Ongoing Trainings

Quality assurance is at the top of our list; our Trustpilot is a true testament to the quality of service we promise our clients. Our representatives have quarterly reviews where they listen to their phone calls from past experiences and review emails and interactions with past customers to help them improve their communication and effectiveness. Additionally, we have monthly training sessions to improve our overall knowledge of the products we serve and enhance our professional skills. 

Our customer service representatives can help your students in many ways. Whether it is providing a visa letter for an appointment at the embassy or helping to find providers in-network near their home, our team at ISI will always ensure that you and your students receive the best experience possible when you contact us!

We’re here to help you and your international students. Our hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 8am to 6pm EST.

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