Consistent enrollment tracking is more important than ever, now that you’re submitting business in multiple ways.
Depending on the scenario, you might submit business through a carrier portal, through our portal, through mail, fax, or telephonic enrollment. All these choices are great, but there is one downside: With so many different options, it becomes easier for things to slip through the cracks. Proactive tracking can help you stay on top of your enrollments in case anything goes wrong.
Imagine This Scenario
You submit an enrollment. Everything seems fine, but when you doublecheck with the carrier later, they say they don’t have it.
A situation like this can get especially hectic during AEP, when you’re working with many different clients, and using multiple methods for submission. If you need to backtrack and troubleshoot, the first thing you’ll need to know is how and when the application was submitted. If you have a tracking system in place, you’re one step ahead.
The Implications of Not Keeping Track
Your clients are depending on you to ensure that their enrollment goes smoothly. If a deadline passes and the enrollment does not go through because of some glitch or human error, it’s their coverage that’s on the line.
Your commission could also be at risk. If the enrollment doesn’t go through and you’re not on top of things, another agent might swoop in. It’s like getting a head start but then falling asleep on the racetrack. You want to be first to finish line, so don’t slow down now.
To take care of your clients, and to make sure you get the commissions you deserve, you need to track your enrollments. Then, if a carrier says they don’t have a submission, you have the information you need to show exactly what you submitted, when you did it, and how you did it. With this information, the Western Asset Protection (WAP) team can help you figure out what happened and make the situation right.
What You Need to Track
Each time you complete an enrollment, add all the pertinent information to your file or a spreadsheet. This should include the following:
- The name of the client
- The date of the submission
- How you submitted it/the platform you used
- The carrier
- The plan selected
- Whether this is a new enrollment or a renewal
Nothing is Foolproof
New digital tools have made the enrollment process easier. With everything going on with the pandemic, this has been a lifesaver. But nothing is foolproof. That’s why agents must be diligent.
Keep accurate records. If anything ever goes wrong, you’ll be glad you did!
