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As technology enables employees to become increasingly mobile, IBM is helping boost the productivity of workers in the field through its BlueStar mobile device management system.
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The challenge
Insurance claims adjusting can be a complex business, involving multiple, concurrent tasks, often performed during an emotionally charged time for the customer. In recent years, insurance firms have taken steps to improve the onsite capabilities of their claims adjusters through the use of portable laptop computers for information capture. But laptops can be bulky, fragile and require a wired or wireless network to link to the adjuster’s claims system. In addition, real-time claims processing is rare —the data is usually stored on the computer and later uploaded at the office for review and approval. However, the combination of sophisticated smartphones and increased bandwidth has enabled a new set of applications aimed at engineering some of the functionality of a laptop into a much smaller device. The goal is to greatly improve the mobility of field personnel while enabling them to access databases, process claims onsite and keep customers happy.
The approach
IBM Research conducted a First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) project with an insurance company aimed at designing and prototyping a mobile claim processing solution for field agents. Dubbed BlueStar, the technology enables an insurance company to locate the most appropriate agent in the field when a request comes in, and allows the field agent to process a property and casualty claim from a mobile device while maintaining a high level of security.
BlueStar is designed to address the high cost of deploying and supporting large scale wireless mobile infrastructures, as well as the need for robust security in mobile environments. BlueStar builds on the Autopilot framework for automating system management processes, developed by IBM Research in 2006. BlueStar’s SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) approach toward system management allows it to accommodate multiple mobile devices and software platforms, so companies that use it are not bound to a single vendor. Mobile systems management tasks are represented as process definitions, modified by policies, and executed by a workflow engine. This configuration provides the flexibility and scalability needed to extend the technology to other industries employing a large number of enterprise mobile device users.
In the insurance company pilot, BlueStar’s process-driven management system was configured to work with Nokia’s Intellisync Management Suite and Lotus Notes Domino. Users were given a variety of mobile phones made by Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Motorola. The phones were supplied directly from the manufacturers without any special software installed. Participants were able to use the BlueStar system for Lotus Notes e-mail, calendar and messaging activities, as well as for limited access to internal network resources such as databases and files. User demographics were gathered from a standard LDAP directory, enabling the insurance company to quickly configure and provision the system — a key capability in a catastrophic situation such as a hurricane or flood when response time is critical. Security was enabled through the Nokia Secure Gateway component of Intellisync, which provides an adequate level of security to isolate the corporate intranet from the mobile devices on the Internet.
The BlueStar pilot successfully provided the mobility and streamlined management support, which generated a significant increase in productivity among the field workforce. BlueStar could be deployed for field forces to perform claims processing as well as insurance policy and annuity sales, and could be adapted to accommodate customer interaction.
Next steps
The BlueStar technology provides a robust and secure foundation for sophisticated mobile applications and transaction processing, and as such, can be adapted to accommodate the needs of clients in other industries. Internally, IBM is planning to test the technology by rolling out a trial expense account application that employees could use for capturing information at the point of transaction, which would then be transmitted to the back office for processing. And an Asian railway system has expressed interest in adapting the technology to give train conductors the ability to make reservations, process ticket changes and collect fares via a mobile device.
A number of other possible applications in the travel and transportation industry are envisioned, such as supplying pre-programmed mobile devices that would allow hotel guests to easily contact guest services, order a taxi or make restaurant reservations from anywhere in the city, and it’s anticipated that BlueStar may also be customized for the health care industry, both for medical monitoring and claims processing activities.
For more information on how the BlueStar technology can help a company face the challenges of an increasingly mobile work environment, contact IBM Research Services today.